With DataMotion Direct the security, privacy, and confidentiality of the message contents (that is the message body and all attachments) are protected by encryption that allows only the sender and recipients to access the contents.
DataMotion messages adhere to the standard Internet protocol for secure messaging, called S/MIME or Secure MIME. With this standard, the secure content in the message consists of the message body and attachments, which are encrypted. The message body is the message text that you enter and send to recipients, and the attachments are any files that you include to send with the message.
The optional Subject line of the message is part of the email header information and is not protected by encryption. If you include sensitive, confidential, or private information in the Subject line of messages, it is like placing it on the outside of an envelope sent through traditional mail, which can be viewed by anyone who sees the envelope. The header information is not encrypted because it is used to control the message and its transmission. Besides the optional Subject line, the header information contains the sender and recipient addresses and other metadata, such as routing/tracking information.
Organizations should train their users to understand and follow practices that protect private or sensitive information when using secure encrypted emails. Users should learn how to protect information by using the message body and attachments and not including anything sensitive in the Subject line. All users should be aware that when they include a Subject line with the message, it is like writing a note on the outside of an envelope so that anyone could see it. To prevent the exposure of sensitive or private information in the Subject line, the recommendation is to have a blank or non-descriptive subject.
Users should also be aware of other privacy and security considerations. For example, in some cases, private information may be conveyed by the fact that the sender is engaging in a conversation with the recipient, such as when a medical specialist is sending a message to a patient. Also, senders must accurately enter correct addresses for their recipients to ensure the content is sent to the correct destinations.