MICHIGAN MEDICINE Secure Email Solutions

At MICHIGAN MEDICINE, security and the protection of customer data is one of our highest priorities. Our aim is to always deliver a safe and secure experience at all times, including when we communicate confidential information.

It is our policy to secure any emails containing information that could pose a risk to you or MICHIGAN MEDICINE if intercepted inappropriately. This reduces the risk of electronic eavesdropping, tampering and mail forgery.

About Proofpoint Encryption Email

At MICHIGAN MEDICINE we are committed to upholding the strictest security on the information that we communicate with you. That is why we have made it our policy to encrypt and secure all emails when they contain information that could pose a risk to you or MICHIGAN MEDICINE if intercepted by someone else.

As part of this commitment, we have introduced the Proofpoint encryption email service. Proofpoint is an industry recognized enterprise security company, covering a range of sensitive data users including healthcare, banking, insurance, and national governmental departments.

How to Use Proofpoint Encryption Email

The first time you receive a Proofpoint encrypted email, you will need to set up a Proofpoint account before accessing your email. Setting up an account is easy. You will simply be asked to provide your name, password and a security code sent to your email . See the First Time Registration section.

This user guide provides step by step instructions for opening and replying to the encrypted email sent by MICHIGAN MEDICINE via Proofpoint Encryption Email.

Receiving an encrypted email sent by Proofpoint

When you receive an encrypted email from MICHIGAN MEDICINE encrypted by Proofpoint, you will receive a notification in your email inbox containing instructions on how to access your encrypted email.

Opening an encrypted email encrypted by Proofpoint

Note: some email anti-spam filters may block encrypted attachments, and you may need to amend the settings to permit such emails.

Security Tip: Always check the sender’s email address before opening any emails. If you do not recognize the sender, do not open the email.

Example of a notification email received when MICHIGAN MEDICINE has sent you an encrypted email. To view the encrypted email from the notification, select the Click here link.

IMPORTANT!

Notification link will expire after 180 Days.

First Time Registration

The first time you receive an encrypted email encrypted by Proofpoint you will need to set up an account and register your login credentials. You will simply be asked to enter your name, password, and provide a verification code.

Once you have set up your account, you will be able to log in and view your encrypted emails at any time.

Setup your Proofpoint account

Create your login credentials by completing the First Name, Last Name and Password fields. Check your mailbox for an email from noreply@med.umich.edu containing the Validation Code, enter the code into the last box and click Continue.

The password policy is as follows:

Example of the password policy message

Note: If you wish to change your password at a later stage then you can do this on the Logon screen (refer to Logging into Proofpoint to read an Encrypted Email with an existing Proofpoint Account section)

Example of a Proofpoint Encryption Email Registration screen

Your encrypted email will be displayed in the Secure Email Reader Inbox window in the Proofpoint Encryption portal. You can view the secure emails that you have been sent by MICHIGAN MEDICINE in the pane to the left, just like a regular email inbox. These emails will be retained for a period of 180 days.

Example of the Secure Email Reader Inbox window in the Proofpoint Encryption portal

From here you will be able to Reply and Save attachments. Click on the Help button for more information on how to use Proofpoint Encryption. Refer to the FAQ and Troubleshooting sections in this document for further help.

Digital Signature

Example of a digital signature

The Digital Signature is Valid means that the encrypted email has come from a trusted source at MICHIGAN MEDICINE, and that your email has been validated.

How to Use Proofpoint Email Editor

Replying to a Proofpoint Encrypted Email using Email Editor From within the Secure Email Reader Inbox, you can choose Reply just like a normal email account.

Note: For security reasons: It is not possible to reply to any other recipient outside of original sender.

Note: Do not use the back or forward buttons on your browser. If you want to return to the original encrypted email, press Cancel

Example of the Secure Email Reader Inbox screen showing the reply option.

The Rich Text Editor toolbar has several functions to help you format text, add links, search and replace, and more.

Attaching documents

To attach documents, you can click the Attach a File button then click Choose.

Search for your document using the file browser and click Open to attach. You can remove attachments by clicking the X button which is displayed next to each file you have attached.

Sending the encrypted email

When you are ready to send your reply, click the Send button. An encrypted email will be sent to the recipient(s).

Glossary

Encryption - Encryption is the process of transforming data so it's unreadable to anyone except the party that is authorized to receive it.

Encrypted email - Encrypted email is an email that has been encrypted so that it can be sent securely over the internet. Encrypted email is referred to as message on the notifications and on some of the Proofpoint screens.

Secure Message/secure email – an encrypted email

Web Browser - A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the Internet.

FAQ (frequently asked questions)

How long will my Proofpoint Encryption session last after inactivity?

Proofpoint Encryption will automatically terminate a logged in session after 15 minutes of inactivity from the user.

What happens if I forget my Proofpoint Encryption password?

In the event you have forgotten your Proofpoint Encryption password, you can reset it by clicking on the “Forgot Password” link. At this point a password reset message will be sent to your email address used during initial registration. Please click on the email link in that message to reset your password. If you do not receive the password reset message within a few moments, please check your spam folders or other filtering tools. 

Troubleshooting

If you are having trouble accessing your encrypted email, try some of these tips.

Expecting an encrypted email but haven’t received it?

Some email anti-spam filters may block encrypted attachments or file them in your Junk mail. You may need to amend the settings in your email filter to permit such emails.

Clicking on the link in the Notification email results in an error message: ‘the message you requested is not yet or no longer available’

Refer back to the Notification email to check the time the MICHIGAN MEDICINE sender sent the secure email.

If it is less than a minute, wait for another minute and try again. If the problem persists, ask the MICHIGAN MEDICINE sender to raise an incident request.

Does Proofpoint Encryption work with a VPN enabled

Proofpoint Encryption may not work with all VPNs and you may encounter an error message. Try switching the VPN off. Some browsers and antivirus may have a built-in VPN – check if these are disabled. If you still cannot open the Proofpoint encrypted email, ask the MICHIGAN MEDICINE sender to raise an incident request.

Browsers that are not supported with Proofpoint Encryption:

Most browsers are supported with Proofpoint Encryption. If you are getting continual error messages or session timeouts, try logging in on a different browser. If the issues persist, ask the MICHIGAN MEDICINE sender to raise an incident request.