5 Steps to Send An Encrypted Email in Gmail

These days, we use Gmail for everything from customer service to telehealth. Over time, your Gmail account might become a treasure trove of sensitive PII, PCI, PHI, and passwords that hackers can leverage. In fact, as of this year, just under half of all data breaches involve email. So, what can you do to protect your inbox?

Enter: email encryption.

What is email encryption, and why do you need it?

Whether you’re sharing a top-secret strategy with your boss, or a sending electronic health records to a patient, you don’t want anyone but your intended recipient looking at your emails. Encryption usually does the trick by converting your email into a code that only the intended recipient can decipher. This protects your data during transmission so that any personal, financial, or medical details stay hidden from prying eyes.

Luckily, it’s easy to encrypt your emails in Gmail.

How to send an encrypted email in Gmail

If you want to send an encrypted email in Gmail, follow these five simple steps:

1. Compose your email: Start by drafting your email as you normally would.
2. Turn on "Confidential Mode:" Click the lock-and-clock icon at the bottom of your email draft to activate Gmail’s "Confidential Mode."
3. Set an expiration date: Choose a date for your email to expire. This ensures that recipients can only access your message for a limited time.
4. Require a passcode: You can add an extra layer of security by requiring a passcode. Recipients will need a code sent via SMS to open the email.
5. Send your email: After setting your preferences, click send. Your email will remain encrypted until its expiration date.

But that's not all you can do to protect your emails in Gmail. Read on for some additional security measures that you can implement.

How to send a password protected email in Gmail

For enhanced security, consider using password protection alongside encryption in Gmail. With Gmail’s "Confidential Mode," you can require recipients to enter a passcode that they'll receive via SMS. This means only your intended recipient can open your message, even if someone else gains access to their inbox.

How to redact an email in Gmail

Email encryption isn't always necessary. Sometimes, it may be more efficient to simply redact specific parts of an email instead. While Gmail doesn't offer an option for this, you can always try an email data loss prevention (email DLP) tool.

Email DLP tools can spot sensitive data like PII, PCI, PHI, or credentials—and then redact them before your email is transmitted. This allows you to maintain your data privacy without needing to encrypt your email.

What tools can you use to encrypt your email in Gmail? 

While Gmail offers some native security features, it could be worth looking into an email DLP tool. Email DLP tools offer the following advantages:

• Automated email protection: Automatically encrypt or redact emails that contain sensitive data, so nothing slips through the cracks. 
• Advanced threat detection: Identify accidental data exposure before it compromises your inbox.
• Continuous compliance: Ensure that your emails meet industry regulations in order to protect your business from fines.

Long story short, if you handle personal, financial, or health information at work, it may be worth looking into an email DLP solution for a little more peace of mind.

Why use Nightfall for email encryption?

Nightfall’s Data Encryption and Data Detection & Response tools offer fine-grained control over email security, including options to:

• Automatically encrypt emails
• Block or quarantine emails that contain sensitive data
• Remove email attachments
• Redact or delete sensitive data within emails
• Revoke email access
• Block email forwarding
  

Here’s why Nightfall stands out:

• Full visibility and control: Nightfall’s centralized console allows security teams to monitor every encryption event. This feature keeps you informed about who sends and receives encrypted emails.
• Easy deployment across teams: Nightfall’s Chrome plugin works with Mobile Device Management (MDM) or Google Workspace. This helps you to deploy Nightfall across your entire team in a matter or minutes.
• Custom policies: Security teams can create policies for both manual and automated email encryption to give their teams flexibility.
• AI-powered data protection: Nightfall’s generative AI (GenAI) platform scans emails in real time. This capability allows you to encrypt emails based on specific data types, like PII, PCI, PHI, or credentials.
• Smooth user experience: Nightfall integrates seamlessly with Gmail so that you don't have to deactivate mail exchange (MX) records or native support features.

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What's the best way to send an encrypted Gmail email?

In a world where a single email could cause a breach, email encryption is a necessity for any business. Nightfall provides a simple, effective way to send encrypted emails in Gmail without any strain on your daily workflows.

Ready to start encrypting your emails? Contact Nightfall to learn more about our email encryption and DLP solutions.

Final thoughts: How to level up your Google Workspace DLP with Nightfall 

In addition to encrypting your emails, consider the added benefits of integrating Nightfall across your entire Google Workspace.

How does Nightfall protect your Google workspace? 

Nightfall's integrated DLP approach delivers comprehensive protection across your Google Workspace. 

In Gmail, Nightfall’s AI-powered detection engine scans emails in real time to identify and protect sensitive data via encryption, redaction, and other remediation options like blocking, quarantining, or removing attachments. 

In Google Drive, Nightfall provides visibility into data movement and file sharing activities. It monitors uploads, tracks permissions changes, and detects unauthorized downloads. These real-time insights and automated responses help manage insider risks and data exfiltration, all while enhancing your overall security posture.

In short, by combining seamless integration with AI-driven features, Nightfall ensures that your Google Workspace remains continuously secure and compliant.