About Virtru Email Encryption

Lynn University IT provides email encryption through our partner Virtru.  Email encryption is a secure method of transmitting information so only the intended recipient can read the contents of the message.  This is what to helps to ensure the confidentiality of the email and it protects the information from being stolen or accidentally accessed by unintended recipients. 

What should I be using Virtu email encryption for?

Any email message containing the following should ALWAYS be encrypted

• Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
• Personal health Information (PHI)
• other sensitive data such as
  • Social Security Numbers (SSN)
  • Student Records
  • Lynn University Procurement Credit Card Information
  • Personal Credit Card Information

  • Banking Information

Who will be allowed to use Virtru email encryption?

Only @lynn.edu full time employee email addresses that are authorized and licensed are permitted to use the Virtru encryption service.  The following list of departments below have been approved as having a business need and function to use email encryption. 

• Academic Affairs
• Administrative Assistants
• Campus Safety
• Career Services
• Counseling Center
• Employee Services
• Executive Assistants
• Finance
• General Counsel
• Health Center
• Information Systems
• Institutional Research
• IT Business
• IT Inventory
• Library
• Office of Admission
• Office of Compliance
• Office of the CTSO
• Network Services
• Procurement
• Registrar
• Residence Life
• Support Services
• Student Conduct and Community Affairs
• Student Financial Services
• Vice Presidents

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When can I start using Virtru email encryption?

IT will begin adding users to the application as well as deploying the Outlook for Desktop and Virtru Apps for mobile devices on the dates suggested below.

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What are my options for sending an encrypted email with Virtru?

There are two different methods that you can use to send an encrypted email with Virtru.  

1. Option 1 is to send an email with a specific keyword in the subject line and the email will automatically be encrypted
   1. This is the easiest method and it doesn't require any special software
   2. If you are using a mac or an ios device like an ipad or an iphone, or a droid, this will be your only option
2. Option 2 is when you have a plug-in installed in Outlook or in Office 365/OWA
   1. With this method you'll need to have the Virtru plug in installed in Outlook or Office 365/OWA

Is there an Outlook for Mac plugin?

No.  For macs there is no outlook or mail plugin.  Once you are approved to have email encryption and you are added to the appropriate group you can use the Secure Keywords to encrypt an email.

Installing and Activating Virtru for Outlook Desktop for Windows 

Before you can send and receive Virtru emails from Outlook, you'll need to install our Outlook add-in

Option 1 - Installing through Software Center for Windows - 

1. Before starting close the Outlook application
2. You can open Software Center by locating the item in your Start menu. Type in Software Center and select the item
   1. 
3. Select Applications on the left and click on Virtru
   1. 
4. Click the Install Button. 
   1. 
5. Once the application is installed you will see the install button changes to Uninstall like below.
   1. 

Option 2 - Downloading the installer directly from Virtru's Website

• If you follow these instructions to download and install the application on your own, you will need to have administrator privileges in order to do so.  Support services will NOT grant you admin privileges so it is better to contact the Support Service Desk for assistance.
• Visit our downloads page on a PC. Click on "download" on the Outlook tile to install the Virtru for Outlook add-in. (If you are not on a Windows machine, you will be prompted to visit the page on a Windows device)

Click "Run" to give permission to run the installer VirtruForOutlookInstaller.msi.

Outlook must be closed to complete installation. The installation will run and launch Outlook automatically when complete. If Outlook does not launch automatically in a few seconds, manually open it to prompt the next step.

Windows Outlook desktop application only

Please note that this this guide specifically shows how to install and activate Virtru for Outlook on Windows (For Versions 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019). The installer is not compatible with Outlook for Mac or other Windows Mail applications.

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Activation

Virtru plugin and app activations expire every 120 days. After any expiration, Virtru will prompt a user to re-activate.

Activations are much like application sessions - signing-out of a session and then coming back to the application later will prompt you to login again. Therefore, whenever you encounter an activation prompt in Virtru, simply reactivate in order to continue sending secure emails.

Expiring a session or app activation after a certain period of time or inactivity is a common software best practice. There are a number of reasons behind this, but security is one of the main factors. We chose to expire the activation every 120 days in order to comply with FedRAMP.

There are also a few cases where users might be prompted to activate sooner than 120 days:

• If the user clears their browser cache
• If Virtru is uninstalled
• If an already activated user attempts to use Virtru on a new device

Furthermore, if a user receives delegated access to another user's mailbox, the delegatee will be prompted to reactivate every 10 days.

• Launch Outlook on your desktop.
• Once Outlook opens, you will be prompted to activate your Virtru add-in.  Click Activate to begin. You may choose "Later" if you do not wish to activate at this time. Check "Don't show me again" before you click Activate or Later to prevent the modal from re-appearing to prompt activation of un-activated account(s) whenever you start Outlook.

• Choose the email account(s) you'd like to activate for use with Virtru, and click Continue. You may choose to activate only one or multiple email accounts you have set up in Outlook

• During the activation process, we'll send an email to your email address. The Virtru add-in will search for this email in your inbox. It will be from noreply-activation@virtru.com.

• When the email is found, Virtru will automatically delete the email and complete activation.  Click "Take a tour" for a brief walkthrough of your new Virtru features.

Take a Tour of the Virtru Outlook Add-in Features

• If your activation does not complete in a few minutes, please see the troubleshooting information here.

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Activating specific email account or multiple email accounts

You may wish to activate only certain ones or activate some accounts later on after initially activating one account with Virtru, and this is possible with the steps provided below.

1. Select the Virtru tab from the top bar of the main Outlook window. 

2. Choose Options

3. Go to the Account Activation tab and select the specific email accounts you would like to activate, then click on "Activate Selected".

Reactivation

Virtru plugin and app activations expire every 120 days. After any expiration, Virtru will prompt a user to re-activate.

Activations are much like application sessions - signing-out of a session and then coming back to the application later will prompt you to login again. Therefore, whenever you encounter an activation prompt in Virtru, simply reactivate in order to continue sending secure emails.

Expiring a session or app activation after a certain period of time or inactivity is a common software best practice. There are a number of reasons behind this, but security is one of the main factors. We chose to expire the activation every 120 days in order to comply with FedRAMP.

There are also a few cases where users might be prompted to activate sooner than 120 days:

• If the user clears their browser cache
• If Virtru is uninstalled
• If an already activated user attempts to use Virtru on a new device

Furthermore, if a user receives delegated access to another user's mailbox, the delegatee will be prompted to reactivate every 10 days.

If you do need to reactivate, you can do so following the steps outlined in the Activation section above, or the reactivation steps below.

• Click on the Virtru tab at the top of your outlook window and select "Debug log"

• Click on the "Debug Commands" tab and select the "reset registry" option

• Click "Yes" and then "Ok" to confirm the changes

• Click on "Authorize Accounts" in the Virtru tab to manually follow the authorization steps again (see Activation above)

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Install and activate the Virtru for Outlook 365 Add-in (for Web, Desktop, Mobile)

Before you can send and receive secure emails with Virtru, you will need to install and activate the Virtru Outlook 365 Add-in (for Web, Desktop, Mobile). In this article, we'll show you how to install and activate the Virtru add-in. Step by step instructions can be found below. 

Please Note:

In addition to the Virtru Outlook 365 Add-in, Virtru also offers a separate Outlook Desktop Extension (Desktop Only). If you are not sure which Virtru product is best for you, we recommend reviewing this article.

Installation

Install and activate the Virtru for Outlook 365 Add-in (for Web, Desktop, Mobile) – Virtru

Important Note about Virtru for Outlook Desktop and Virtru for Outlook 365

The Virtru for Outlook Desktop Extension and the Virtru for Outlook 365 Add-in will conflict if both are installed in your Outlook desktop application. Please be sure only one is installed. Uninstall instructions can be found here. 

1) Sign into your Microsoft Outlook account by going to https://outlook.office365.com/mail OR open Outlook on your Desktop. 

2) Click the New Message button to compose an email

3) Click the more options button […] at the bottom of the compose email window.

4) Click the Get Add Ins option

5) Click the My Add-Ins option

6) Scroll down on the My Add-Ins page and click on Add a custom add-in, then click Add from URL

7) Paste the following URL link: https://cdn.virtru.com/outlookjs/manifest/VirtruForOutlook.xml

8) Click Install

Your Add-Ins for Outlook section should look like this.

Activation

1) Create a New message by clicking the New Message button

2) Click the Virtru logo. If you do not see the Virtru logo, then click the three dots and click Virtru.

3) Pin Virtru to your side panel and click Activate Virtru

Recommended Configuration:

We recommend editing your Outlook settings so Virtru is visible in the toolbar. This will make it easier for you to quickly create new encrypted emails as well as decrypt secure emails you recieve. 

1) Go to Settings

2) Click on View All Outlook Settings

3) Choose Customize Actions

4) Enable Virtru in the Message surface (located in the Customize actions section) by clicking the check mark next to it. 

5) Scroll down and enable Virtru in the Toolbar section (also located in the Customize actions section) by checking it there as well

6) Click Save

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Installing and Activating Virtru for Apple iOS(iPad/iPhone) through Office 365

Steps for activation:

1. 
   Download the Virtru app from the App Store.
   
2. Click the “ACTIVATE VIRTRU” button. Virtru will ask you which email service you use
   
3. Select “Office 365” from the “Add account” page
   
4. You will be directed to login.microsoft.com to sign in with your Office 365 credentials.
   
5. Once you have allowed the Virtru app to connect to your mailbox we will send out an activation email to verify your account and device. This email comes from noreply-activation@virtru.comand the Virtru app will process this email for activation. This will happen in the background for the user, once you see the “Activated” screen you will be directed to your mailbox.
   

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How to encrypt an email using Outlook 365 (Web)

Send secure messages via Outlook 365 Add-in (for Web, Desktop and Mobile) – Virtru

1. Click New Message in Outlook
   
   
2. Select the Virtru add-in inside of the compose window by clicking the Virtru icon OR the three dots.
   
   

You should then see a side panel that contains a Virtru toggle. This will allow the option to turn Virtru Protection On, the button will turn blue. 

You can also pin the Virtru side panel for continued use.

1. You can now add your recipients, subject, the body of the email, and any relevant attachments. You also have the option to add a Custom Introduction Message along with additional security options for the message such as Disable Forwarding, Expiration Date, Watermarking, and Persistent Protection.

1. When your message is ready, hit Send. You should see a brief message above your secure message letting you know that Virtru is sending your secure message. 
   

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How to encrypt an email in the Outlook Desktop Application using a keyword in the subject line

In order to manually encrypt an email its a pretty simple task but first there are some requirements that have to be met first

1. Only@lynn.edu email addresses that are authorized and licensed are permitted to use the Virtru encryption service. 
2. You have to insert the keywoe listed below anywhere in the subject line and they have to be encapsulated in the hashtags like below. 
   1. #secure#
   2. #confidential#
   3. #private#

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Setting a personalized, unencypted introduction

Note:  These settings are individual user settings. This introduction will not apply to the entire organization. 

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Unencrypted Introduction for all your Virtru secure emails

When a recipient (without the Virtru extension) receives a Virtru email, they'll see either your organization's custom message template or if you don't have one, Virtru's default recipient template.

(Virtru default template)

You can change that default text in the recipient template to a message of your choosing via the Admin Dashboard following the steps below:

1. Log into the Virtru Dashboard.
2. Under the Personal section, select Settings
3. Enter your new introduction in the Personal Introduction field.
4. After entering your introduction, save your changes via the "Save Changs" button at the bottom of the page.
5. Finally, if you use our browser extensions, refresh your webmail page. If you use our Outlook add-in, quit Outlook and relaunch the application to pull in the changes.

(Personal introduction field)

One-time unencrypted introduction

After you've set your personal introduction to apply to all Virtru secure emails, you can still always create a one-off unencrypted introduction for a specific email when composing a secure email.  This will overwrite the custom personal introduction for that email only.

Outlook

In Outlook, after you select New Email and toggle Virtru on, click on "Personalize Introduction". A new window will appear where you can type in a one-time introduction for that specific secure email.

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Outlook Web App (Office 365 online/OWA)

In Outlook Web, after you click on New to compose a new email and toggle Virtru on, you can edit the personal unencrypted introduction in the Cover Letter section

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