Sending secure emails today is a mess full of confusing certificates and annoying setup steps. But Google says it’s finally ready to simplify the whole process.
Encryption in today’s world is a firm foundation, where the security of data is a major concern for individuals to the corporate world. When you visit a website with HTTPS, most content on such webpages is encrypted in transit.
Existing email encryption options are more expensive and involves a complex setup process to implement. In an effort to improve user experience, Google stated that the new feature for enterprise user allows them to send end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messages to any user, regardless of what email service they’re using, with just a few clicks within Gmail account.
This feature is easy for both IT teams and regular users to use and it eliminates the usual tech hassles and clunky experience of older tools, while still keeping strong control over data privacy, security, and ownership.
E2EE email messages are encrypted by user from a click of a button within Gmail to any other email account and the receiver at the end doesn’t need to exchange certificates or use custom applications. Below is how Google describes the process.
When the recipient is a Gmail user (enterprise or personal), Gmail sends an E2EE email. The email is automatically decrypted in the recipient's inbox, and the recipient can use Gmail in a familiar way.
When the recipient is not a Gmail user, Gmail sends them an invitation to view the E2EE email in a restricted version of Gmail. The recipient can then use a guest Google Workspace account to securely view and reply to the email.
When the recipient has S/MIME configured, Gmail sends an E2EE email via S/MIME (just like it does today).
