Virtru Email Protection

Virtru Email Protection takes a slightly different approach to email security, focusing on end-to-end encryption with persistent control and visibility. The solution encrypts messages and attachments at the object-level and uses policies that determine who can access protected content and under which conditions. The entire ecosystem, from encrypted content and policy assertions to access controls, is bundled in a trusted data format. However, it is missing some of the core features other products have, like spam filtering, malware protection, and email continuity.

Virtru is easy to setup and straightforward. It has a toggle button to turn it off and on  quickly. If someone attempts to send a sensitive email while Virtru is turned off, it displays a warning box that serves as an educational tool nudging the end-user in the right direction. Forced encryption is available as well.

There are many configurations to give senders significant control over outbound emails, including the ability to set email expiration dates and to disable email forwarding. Attachment controls add watermarking and can even require recipients to receive permission to view or download attachments. Administrators can change all configurations, including revoking message keys to disable email access, at any time. It offers out-of-the box rules and options, like HIPAA and those concerning SSNs and credit card numbers. They are customizable, making compliance easy.

Encryption is done both internally and externally. Internal communications must be recognized as secure and a recipient’s approval double-checked. A secure reader built directly into the browser provides additional attachment protection. This secure reader is a JavaScript web application that runs client-side decryption to protect data even if a recipient does not have Virtru installed. Email recipients, too, get this same level of encryption when they reply to the original email sender. To control and audit content, metadata and security policies are fully searchable. Administrators can learn detailed information about a message, including who received or accessed the message, just by clicking on it. This forwarding tree is a powerful audit log tool that reveals whether, when, and by whom data has been accessed.

Virtru is a versatile product with a zero-trust model and an open API. Its trusted data format may provide added safeguards, such as data protection and application policy management, for many third-party products.

Pricing varies: One to 10 users is $60 per user/year plus the $699 annual Platform fee; 11 to 99 users is $60 per user/year plus the $1,999 annual Platform fee; and 100+ users is $45 per user/year plus the $2,999 annual platform fee. All users have access to the online Virtru Help Center and basic, no cost support. Additional support options are available for purchase.

       Tested by: Tom Weil