In short: Hornetsecurity Email Encryption is a cloud service that automatically signs and encrypts outgoing email using S/MIME or PGP, according to policies you set by domain, group or user. It manages certificates and keys, and offers Websafe for recipients who cannot decrypt. It is licensed per user and included in every 365 Total Protection plan.
What Email Encryption is
Most email travels between servers protected by TLS, but that only protects it in transit and only if both sides support it. When you need to be sure a message can only be read by its recipient, for contracts, HR files, medical or financial information, you need message-level encryption. Hornetsecurity Email Encryption provides this without asking users to manage keys or remember to press a button.
It runs in Hornetsecurity's cloud, so there is no encryption server to maintain, and it is included in every 365 Total Protection plan from Plan 1.
What is included
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Automatic signing and encryption | Outgoing mail is signed and encrypted with S/MIME or PGP when policy says so |
| Encryption suitability test | Checks whether a recipient can receive encrypted mail |
| Certificate management and key storage | Certificates are requested, renewed and stored centrally |
| Personal email certificates | Individual certificates for users who need them |
| Encryption policies | A standard policy for the organisation with exceptions by domain, group or user |
| Websafe | Confidential delivery to recipients who have no encryption technology |
| Automatic updates | The cloud service is kept current without administrator work |
Policies can also switch encryption off for particular partners where another arrangement already exists, so you are not forced into one approach for every recipient.
How it is licensed
Email Encryption is licensed per user, and Hornetsecurity lets you adjust the number of encrypted users as needs change. A certificate subscription may cost extra under Hornetsecurity's price list, so we confirm this in your quote.
| Option | Includes Email Encryption |
|---|---|
| Email Encryption on its own or with Spam and Malware Protection | Yes |
| 365 Total Protection Plans 1 to 4 | Yes |
| Hornet.email Enterprise | Yes |
Requirements and deployment
Because encryption is applied as mail leaves through Hornetsecurity's gateway, outbound mail needs to route through Hornetsecurity in MX or Hybrid mode, the normal setup with Spam and Malware Protection. API-only mode does not encrypt mail. Users carry on sending from Outlook as normal; the policy decides what is encrypted.
Decide your policy before rollout: which domains, groups or users always encrypt, which recipients use S/MIME or PGP, and when Websafe should be used instead. We help you set this up and test it with your regular correspondents.
Who it suits and how we help
Email Encryption suits professional services firms, healthcare, finance and any organisation that sends personal or confidential data by email and wants to show it is protected under UK GDPR. It complements Email Archiving for retention and AI Recipient Validation for stopping mail going to the wrong person in the first place. See other options in email encryption.
We write the encryption policy with you, test it with your regular correspondents and adjust exceptions as new partners come on board. Ask us for a quote.
How Forever Systems supplies your software licences
Forever Systems Ltd supplies business software subscriptions to UK organisations from one account, with one monthly invoice and a UK team who know the products.
- The right edition first time: we check what you need before you buy, so you are not paying for features you will never use
- Monthly or annual terms where the vendor offers them, and help timing renewals and commitments
- Licence changes handled for you: add or remove users, upgrade editions and true-up without starting a new contract
- Deployment and support from engineers who run these products every day, not just a reseller account
- Consolidated billing and renewal reminders so nothing lapses unexpectedly
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations of all sizes.
Need a licence quote or a second opinion on your renewal?
Tell Forever Systems what you need and we will come back to you by email with options, not a hard sell.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
Does Hornetsecurity Email Encryption support S/MIME and PGP?
Yes. It signs and encrypts outgoing email automatically using S/MIME or PGP according to your policies, and manages the certificates and keys.
What if the recipient cannot decrypt the email?
Websafe delivers the message confidentially to recipients who have no encryption technology, so you can still send securely.
Is Email Encryption included in 365 Total Protection Plan 1?
Yes. Email Encryption is included in every 365 Total Protection plan, from Plan 1 upwards.
Do users need to do anything differently?
No. Encryption is applied automatically by policy as mail leaves your organisation, so users send from Outlook as usual.