Never use email to send confidential messages / files. The risk of loss is too great. There are many better alternatives to email. One alternative is Secure Messages from Bit Weld.

What are Secure Messages?

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Secure Message

Secure Messages are an easy way to send and receive confidential messages and files (any type, large or small). Secure Messages can be sent to anyone with an email address. Secure Messages enhance email and are sent and received using a web browser and are available as an online business service from Bit Weld. So, what are the differences between email and Secure Messages?

Privacy
It is critical that your confidential information be kept private. Emails are sent unencrypted (no privacy, anyone can read them) over the Internet and copies are stored on multiple systems. Secure Messages are private. Secure messages are sent and received via SSL (encrypted, no one can read them).

Security
Security is all about controlling access. When an email is sent copies of that message are stored on multiple systems (out of your control). Unlike email, you have total control of Secure Messages. Access to Secure Messages is controlled via three levels of security – signatures, passwords, and user logins. Additionally, Secure Messages can be cancelled (deleted) at any time.

Certified Delivery
Certified delivery provides proof when you sent the message and ensures your message arrives intact, and unaltered. Emails do not support certified delivery. Emails are commonly blocked or modified (by spam filters or the recipient). When a Secure Message is sent a unique tracking number is assigned and the message content is sent unaltered and is locked (can’t be changed). This ensures your message is delivered exactly as you intended.

Return Receipt
Return receipt provides proof of delivery. Emails have a return receipt setting but it doesn’t work like you think. The recipient can choose to ignore (and cancel) the request for a return receipt. Secure Messages provide proof of delivery two ways – Alerts and Tracking. When the Secure Message is sent, notification emails are delivered to each recipient. Delivery of these notification emails are tracked. Each time a Secure Message is viewed (opened) an alert is generated and the transaction tracked.

Track & Confirm Delivery
Tracking is all about having a single, trusted audit trail. Emails do not have a single, trusted audit trail. When an email is sent the sender and recipients each have partial pieces of the audit trail. Some actions (like viewing) are never captured in an audit trail. Secure Messages have a single, trusted audit trail. Every aspect of a Secure Message transaction (sent, notified, viewed, downloaded) is captured in a single, trusted audit trail.

Large Files
Email was designed to send short text messages. Sending large files (images, audio, video) via email can be frustrating and sometimes impossible. Secure Messages make it easy to send large files – any size (up to 2G) – any type (pdf, zip, exe,…).

Summary
Businesses need a way to securely send confidential messages / files. Secure Messages simplify the task of sending confidential messages / files. Incorporate Secure Messages into your business today.

Shaun McNerney

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