To send a secure email, you can follow these key methods:

1. Use Email Encryption

• End-to-end encryption ensures only you and the recipient can read the message. Proton Mail offers automatic end-to-end encryption if both sender and recipient use Proton Mail

• In Outlook, you can encrypt a single message by selecting Options > Encrypt while composing the email

. Similarly, Gmail offers a "Confidential mode" that lets you set expiration dates and passcodes for emails and attachments

• Microsoft 365 users can also send encrypted messages by choosing Encrypt under the Options ribbon when composing an email

2. Password-Protect Attachments

• Instead of encrypting the entire email, you can password-protect attachments like PDFs or Office documents before sending. Share the password securely via a different channel (e.g., text message or secure messenger like Signal)

3. Use Secure Cloud Storage Links

• For large or multiple files, upload them to encrypted cloud storage (e.g., Proton Drive) and share a secure link. This avoids email attachment size limits and keeps files encrypted with zero-access encryption

4. Use Subject Line Keywords for Encryption (Specific to Some

Organizations)

• Some organizations (e.g., University of Maryland Baltimore) use keywords like [SECURE] in the email subject to trigger automatic encryption of the message and attachments

Additional Security Tips

• Always use strong, unique passwords for your email accounts

• Avoid clicking on suspicious links or opening unknown attachments

• Use BCC when emailing multiple recipients to protect their addresses

• Consider using a VPN when sending emails over public Wi-Fi

By combining these methods-especially end-to-end encryption or password- protected attachments-you can significantly enhance the security of your email communications. For example, using Proton Mail or Outlook’s encryption features provides robust protection for sensitive information