Perth & Kinross Council is using software called Egress, which allows us to transfer email and documents safely to non-secure email addresses. This will help us meet security and data protection requirements when emailing service users, parents / guardians, charities and other agencies.
Advice for recipients of Egress emails
Why is PKC using Egress?
Egress allows PKC staff to send confidential information securely to external email accounts (including Hotmail, Yahoo and Gmail). The nature of the work we carry out means that we often deal with information that is sensitive, which we wouldn't want to fall into the wrong hands.
Measures such as secure postal services have been in place for some time now, however we are increasingly sending information by email, as this is quicker and more convenient for the individuals, partners, suppliers and other agencies we work with.
We've therefore introduced an easy to use piece of software that will help ensure that any information sent by email is secure.
Is Egress free to use for recipients?
Yes. All recipients can view and reply securely to emails sent via Egress from PKC for free. They will only be charged if they use Egress themselves to send to recipients other than PKC.
How do recipients view Egress encrypted emails?
The first time you receive notification that you have been sent an email using Egress, you will be required to create an Egress account before you can sign in to view the email. This is a short and simple process. Creating an account requires an email address and a password. Once this is done, an activation code will be sent to that email address.
Recipients will then be able to sign in. This will allow Egress encrypted emails to be viewed. View the Egress - step by step guide (PDF, 704 KB) for this process.
Can multiple people view the email once it is decrypted?
In general, emails can only be viewed by the original recipient. However, 'access settings' can be amended to allow others read access. This is useful in the case of group mailboxes, or where access to colleagues' mailboxes is required. Information on how to make these changes can be found by viewing the Egress - quick start guide (PDF, 398 KB).
Can Egress be used to receive secure email on a mobile phone or tablet?
Yes. Egress has a mobile website to enable easy use on a mobile device. There is also an Egress 'app' available for Windows, Android, BlackBerry and iOS devices.
Can Egress be used to receive secure email on Apple Macs?
Yes. The Egress client can be installed on Mac OSX 10.6 and above.
Does Egress store any of my data?
Egress only knows your email address and information about sending and receiving emails. The content of any email and its attachments is encrypted when it is sent and can only be decrypted by the recipient.
Can Egress see my information?
Egress has gone to great lengths to ensure they cannot see your information. The Egress Client software encrypts and decrypts your information on your local machine therefore Egress does not have access to it.
Who can external recipients contact if they are having technical issues with Egress?
They should contact the Egress support team directly using the following methods:
- Email support@egress.com
- Telephone 0871 376 0014
The Council IT service will not be providing support for recipients and any enquiries should be directed back to the Egress support team.
Further advice and guidance in using Egress can be found on the Egress website.
For further enquiries about Egress and its use in PKC, please email: InfoSec@pkc.gov.uk
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