📋FTAPI SecuMails: Security Level 1 with password protection
Overview
Deliveries with Security Level 1 can be additionally protected by a password. Once password protection is enabled, the sender sets a password when sending a delivery with Security Level 1. The recipient then needs this password to open the delivery. The password must be transmitted outside of FTAPI (e.g. via phone).
You define per user group whether the password is optional, recommended or mandatory.
Note: the feature is available in the FTAPI web interface and in the FTAPI add-in for new Outlook. See "Availability" for details.
Use cases
- Protection against unauthorised access - if the email ends up in the wrong hands (for example through a misdirected delivery or a compromised mailbox), the additional password keeps the content protected.
- Protection when email is forwarded - even if the recipient forwards the email carelessly, the new recipient cannot open the attachment without the password.
- Protection against automated attacks - if a mailbox is compromised through phishing or brute-force attacks, the password protects the sensitive content.
Administration
Enable password protection per user group
Password protection is a group-level configuration (Administration > Groups) and has to be enabled by the administrator for each user group. The option can only be set if Security Level 1 is allowed for the group.
Define the setting per user group
You decide per user group how password protection is handled:
| Setting | Effect for the sender |
|---|---|
| optional | The sender decides whether to set a password. |
| recommended | The sender is prompted to set a password before sending but can send the delivery without one. |
| mandatory | The sender cannot send the delivery until a password has been set. |
Define the password policy
A password policy for password protection can be defined via the system settings (Administration > SecuMails > Settings). The policy applies both to passwords the sender types and to passwords the sender has generated. You also store a hint text that explains the rules to the sender.
This policy applies only to delivery passwords for Security Level 1. It is not the policy for account passwords.
What the sender and the recipient see
The sender sets the password while creating the delivery, can have one generated and copy it. The recipient sees the delivery, is asked for the password at download, and then downloads all files of that delivery without entering it again. The sender does not need the password to download from their own outbox.
The full instructions are in the article SecuMails: Protect and open a Security Level 1 delivery with a password in the users section.
Reset the password
If a password was lost, the delivery used to be permanently inaccessible. The sender now resets the password from the outbox without sending the delivery again. The old password becomes invalid immediately. The recipient is not notified automatically; the sender transmits the new password outside of FTAPI.
The reset is written to the server log with user, delivery and timestamp. The password itself never appears in the log. The reset is not shown in the delivery's activity log.
Protection against password guessing
After 50 failed entries, access to the delivery is blocked.
Availability
| Application | Set a password | Settings optional, recommended, mandatory |
|---|---|---|
| FTAPI web interface | yes | yes |
| FTAPI add-in for new Outlook | yes | yes, from add-in version 1.5.0 |
| Classic Outlook add-in | no | no |
Related articles