Google Apps Users Get Tool to Help Keep Messages Secret

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G-mail messages exchanged on Google's cloud servers are encrypted, but beyond that, it's a free-for-all out there.

Enter, Google Apps Message Encryption (GAME).

The service will allow Google Apps users to encrypt emails sent to users on other systems, such as Yahoo and Microsoft Exchange, according to a news release.

Currently, emails sent from one infrastructure to another can be vulnerable as they cross the public Internet.

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This means that one document sent from Gmail containing sensitive information to a co-worker using another email service could potentially be vulnerable, according to ZixCorp, an email security company that is powering GAME.

According to a guide posted on Google's website, the process involves several quick steps to ensure sensitive messages are kept today.

The service, which is geared toward businesses, routes messages to a data center. The sender's email address is verified to make sure they're authorized to send encrypted emails.

If no red flags are raised, the message is then encrypted and forwarded to the recipient.

If the recipient is a Zix customer, they can receive the message through keyless delivery. Otherwise, the message will be stored in a portal and the person will be notified via email of an encrypted message to be retrieved.

GAME is available for purchase through a Google sales representative. The price was not listed on the website.