About Encrypted Email

Contents:

What is the American Express Encrypted Email tool?

The American Express Encrypted Email tool provides a secure mechanism for email communication between internal American Express email users and external Internet business email users. The tool allows encryption and decryption of email messages and attached files in the Internet email channel.


 

What makes the Encrypted Email tool secure?

Email messages sent from American Express through this tool are encrypted with strong encryption and remain encrypted while stored in the recipient’s email inbox. Decryption of the messages does not occur unless the recipient is authenticated using their unique password. Presentation of the decrypted message to the recipient’s browser occurs through an SSL Encrypted web session. Replies sent back to American Express through the web-based tool are also encrypted using SSL Encryption and are secured within the American Express internal network and email environment.


 

How do I reply securely to an encrypted email from American Express?

The web page used to present the decrypted email will include ‘Reply’ and ‘Reply To All’ buttons. Click on the appropriate button to compose and send a secure reply to the American Express recipient(s). You may attach files to the new reply message; however, files attached to the original message will not be included in the reply message.


 

How secure are secure messages?

The secure email is encrypted with the equivalent of a 1024-bit key. It uses the breakthrough Identity-Based Encryption to ensure the privacy of your personal data without compromising ease of use. Each message is also signed by the sender to ensure authenticity of the sender and data integrity of the message. In addition, all decrypted email messages are viewed through your web browser using an SSL/TLS connection.


 

How do I save a copy of the secure email reply that I send to American Express?

If you would like to have a copy of the encrypted reply in your email inbox, you may select the Copy Me option prior to sending the secure reply. When you click on the Copy Me option, the option will change to “Remove Me” which can be used if you decide you do not want a copy of the encrypted email in your email inbox.


 

Using the American Express Encrypted Email Tool

Can I read my email when I’m not connected to the Internet?

For this current implementation of the new American Express Encrypted Email tool, the ability to decrypt and view your emails offline will not be available. The tool requires that you log in each time you access the system to read or reply to encrypted emails and the secure session will timeout after a short amount of time for security purposes. An offline capability may be made available in the future.

How can I read the encrypted emails on my Blackberry or other mobile device?

Some mobile or Blackberry devices may not support reading attachments or clicking on the Read Message button in the encrypted html attachment. If you have trouble viewing the encrypted email on your mobile device, forward the email to SecureMailProxy@aexp.com. This email address will be included on each encrypted email for ease of use. Forwarding the encrypted email to that email address will result in the tool generating a new email with a web link to display the tool login page and decrypt the email content from your mobile device. This link will expire after three (3) days. If you want to read the encrypted email again from your mobile device after the link has expired, you may forward the message again to the above email address and receive a new link. If you do not receive the email with the link, please check your mobile email settings to ensure the From address is set correctly. The link will be sent to the From address you have specified in your email settings.

Am I able to reply securely using my Blackberry or other mobile device?

Yes, the “Reply” and “Reply to all” functionality should work from your mobile device although some devices may not support the rich text editing capability that is supported in a standard browser. If you are unable to enter text in the email reply body, select the “Plain Text” option to the right of the reply subject line.

Am I able to add recipients to the email reply?

Yes, you may add recipients to the secure email reply. The tool does not currently support an address book lookup of the American Express email address so please ensure you have the correct email address for the American Express recipient(s) when entering the recipient address.

Am I able to forward the encrypted email?

Yes, you have the option to securely forward the email from within the Encrypted Email tool. If you forward the encrypted form of the email from your email client inbox, the recipient will not be able to read the email as it was not encrypted for them. When you forward the email from within the tool you must include a valid American Express recipient address on the forwarded message. The tool does not currently support an address book lookup of the American Express email address so please ensure you have the correct email address for the American Express recipient(s) when entering the recipient address.

Am I able to login to the Encrypted Email tool and compose a new email to another American Express recipient or someone outside of American Express?

Yes, you may login to the Encrypted Email tool and compose a message to an American Express recipient. Login using the webpage address in the user guide provided to you by your American Express contact. The tool does not currently support an address book lookup of the American Express email address so please ensure you have the correct email address for the American Express recipient(s) when entering the recipient address.

If I deleted an encrypted email message in my email inbox, am I able to get it back?

The ability to recover deleted emails from your email inbox is dependent on your email client. Please contact your technical support to determine if that is supported. Another option may be to contact the American Express sender of the original email and request that they resend the encrypted email.

How do I register other email addresses I use or if I change my email address?

If you change your email address or would like to receive encrypted emails from American Express to another email address, call your American Express contact and request that future encrypted emails be sent to the new email address. You will be prompted to complete the registration process in the encrypted email tool for each new email address used to send you encrypted email using this tool.

Technical Questions

Where can I get help if I have questions or problems using the tool?

The encrypted email tool has online help information that can be used at any point by clicking on the Help link. If you need additional assistance, please call or send an email with your question to your American Express contact who will engage the appropriate American Express technical resources to answer your question or solve any problems with the tool.

What if I don’t receive the registration verification email?

If you do not receive the verification email within minutes after registering on the Encrypted Email website, check your junk or spam email folder or contact your company’s technology help desk. Your company’s email server may be identifying the verification email as spam and blocking delivery to your inbox. Most email servers allow for the sender address to be added to a “whitelist” to allow delivery. The sender address used by American Express for the verification emails is secure.email@aexp.com.

Does the tool require me to install software on my computer?

A standard Internet browser is the only software required to read and reply to the encrypted emails using this tool. Browsers will need to support cookies and allow access to secure sites (HTTPs). Current versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari are officially tested for compatibility but other web browsers should work as well as long as they meet the above requirements.

Why can’t I read the encrypted email by clicking on the link that I used before to access it?

The link you used previously was a one-time link provided as part of the registration verification process. To read the encrypted email, open the HTML attachment in the original encrypted email in your inbox.

Is there a way to change my password, reset a forgotten password, or unlock my account after entering a wrong password multiple times?

Yes, the Encrypted Email login page includes a link to reset your password. You may reset your password in one of two methods. The first involves responding correctly to a password recovery question that you selected when registering in the Encrypted Email tool. The second method involves requesting the system to send an email with a one-time password reset link. When resetting your password, the new password may not be the same as the four previous passwords used for the system and a password may only be reset once in a 24 hour period. For added security, the system will require you to change your password every 90 days.

What are the password requirements for the Encrypted Email tool?

The Encrypted Email tool requires that passwords are a minimum of 7 characters and include at least one number as part of the selected password. In addition, accounts will require a password reset (using the method described previously) if an invalid password has been entered three or more times.

Why don’t the graphic images display when I open the encrypted email in my email inbox?

Your email client settings may be configured to not render images for security reasons. Depending on your email client and company policies, this setting may be overridden for the specific email message or for all messages received from the American Express email domain. Please contact your company technical support for instructions to allow this function.

Why doesn’t the “Read Message” button work when the encrypted email is previewed in my Web Mail client?

Some Web Mail clients render HTML attachments in preview mode with some of the functionality disabled for security reasons. It is necessary to manually open the HTML attachment using the method you would normally use for opening attachments in your Web Mail client.

What is my personal security image and can I change the image to another picture I prefer?

The personal security image is designed to protect against identify theft. A personalized image is assigned to your email address the first time someone from American Express sends you an encrypted email using this tool and it cannot be changed. When you receive an encrypted email, you should see your personalized image in the lower left-hand corner of the email. You should also see the image when you open the message_zdm.html attachment. Every time you receive an encrypted email from American Express, make sure you see your personalized image. If your image does not appear, or if you ever see an image that reads "Invalid Image", do not open the attachment or click on any links. Contact the American Express sender via phone to confirm if they sent the email.


 

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iOS Mobile Users: Go to the InTune App Store and download the Voltage Secure Mail application.

Edge for iOS currently doesn’t allow users to view Voltage protected messages.