Encrypting/Password Protecting Documents to be Sent via

Transcription

1 Encrypting/Password Protecting Documents to be Sent via Purpose: Definitions: To be able to safely transmit UWSA-defined Restricted Data to colleagues via . Restricted Data Restricted Data elements come from Wisconsin State Statute which states that if these elements are disclosed through loss or breach of security, the agency who exposed the data is required to make a public disclosure about the event. Those data elements are: Social Security Number Driver s License Number Financial Account Information DNA Information Biometric Data and all of the above associated with the person s name Encrypting/Password Protecting Microsoft Word, Excel, and Adobe PDF documents have a built in capability to encrypt a document, making it unreadable to everyone except for those with the password. Procedure for encrypting a document in Microsoft Word or Excel: Create the document in Word or Excel and save the document somewhere (such as on the G:\ or U:\ drives.) After you have saved the document, while still having the document open, click on the Microsoft Office button, then choose Prepare Then choose Encrypt Document, a password dialog box will appear:

2 Enter a password for the document. Please use good judgment in creation of passwords (do not use things like password, <blank>, 12345, abcde, or the name of the document itself.) Re-enter the password The password will stay with the document, even if it is modified after you ve given it a password. To remove a password from a password protected document from a Word or Excel document: Open the file Click on the Microsoft Office button Choose Prepare Choose Encrypt Document When the Encrypt Document dialog box comes up, it will have dots in the password field, erase those and click OK Erase them again when the Confirm Password dialog appears, and click OK No password will now be needed to open the document

3 Password protecting an Adobe Acrobat PDF document: Create and save the PDF somewhere (such as on the G:\ or U:\ drives) Click on Secure then Encrypt with Password on the Acrobat tool bar Make sure compatibility is Acrobat 7.0 and later Choose Encrypt all document contents Check Require a password to open the document Enter a password for the document. Please use good judgment in creation of passwords (do not use things like password, <blank>, 12345, abcde, or the name of the document itself) Click OK Confirm Password

4 Click OK You will see the following dialog When you close the document you will see the following Click Yes The password will be saved with the document. If you use the password to open the document, then modify and save the document, the password will still be necessary to open the document. To remove a password from a password protected document from a PDF document: Open the document (using the password) Click File Properties click the Security tab Click the Security Method drop down box and choose No security

5 Then click OK to the following prompt

6 The password will be removed from the document click OK ing encrypted documents: Once you have the document encrypted/password protected and saved, you can attach that document to an and send to the intended recipient. You will need to communicate the password to your colleague in some way. Suggestions are: o Call them with the password o the password to them in an separate from the document that contains the encrypted document. Put no indication in that about what the password is for. o Tell them in person that when they get password protected documents from you, that you will always use a particular password. Not every document must have a unique password, but try to have a unique one for each individual or institutions that you communicate with. o US Postal Service mail them the password