all-in-one privacy solution":["O Proton Unlimited é uma solução única de privacidade"],"Black Friday":["Black Friday"],"No ads. Privacy by default.":["Sem anúncios. Privacidade por padrão."],"People before profits":["Pessoas acima do lucro"],"Security through transparency":["Segurança por meio da transparência"],"The best Proton Mail ${ BLACK_FRIDAY } deals":["As melhores ofertas de ${ BLACK_FRIDAY } do Proton Mail"],"The world’s only community- supported email service":["O único serviço de e-mail do mundo apoiado pela comunidade"]},"specialoffer:limited":{"${ hours } hour":["${ hours } hora","${ hours } horas"],"${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } and ${ secondsLeft } left":["${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft }, e ${ secondsLeft } restantes"],"${ minutes } minute":["${ minutes } minuto","${ minutes } minutos"],"${ seconds } second":["${ seconds } segundo","${ seconds } segundos"],"Limited time offer":["Oferta por tempo limitado"]},"specialoffer:listitem":{"Create multiple addresses":["Crie vários endereços"],"Hide-my-email aliases":["Use aliases do hide-my-email"],"Quickly unsubscribe from newsletters":["Cancele a assinatura de newsletters rapidamente"],"Use your own domain name":["Use seu próprio nome de domínio"]},"specialoffer:logos":{"As featured in":["Destaques"]},"specialoffer:metadescription":{"Get an encrypted email that protects your privacy":["Obtenha um e-mail criptografado que proteja sua privacidade"]},"specialoffer:metatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday Sale - Up to 40% off":["Oferta de Black Friday do Proton Mail - Até 40% de desconto"]},"specialoffer:newmetadescription":{"Get up to 40% off Proton Mail subscriptions this Black Friday. Find great deals on our secure end-to-end encrypted email plans.":["Obtenha até 40% de desconto nas assinaturas do Proton Mail nesta Black Friday. Confira ótimas ofertas em nossos planos de e-mail seguro com criptografia de ponta a ponta."]},"specialoffer:newmetatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday sale | Up to 40% off secure email":["Oferta de Black Friday do Proton Mail - Até 40% de desconto no e-mail protegido"]},"specialoffer:note":{"* Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["* Com o preço de ${ TOTAL_SUM } no primeiro ano"],"*Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["*Com o preço de ${ TOTAL_SUM } nos primeiros dois anos"],"30-day money-back guarantee":["Garantia de reembolso de 30 dias"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["Com o preço de ${ TOTAL_SUM } nos primeiros dois anos"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["Com o preço de ${ TOTAL_SUM } no primeiro ano"],"You save ${ SAVE_SUM }":["Economize ${ SAVE_SUM }"]},"specialoffer:off":{"${ DISCOUNT } off":["-${ DISCOUNT }"],"${ PERCENT_OFF } off":["-${ PERCENT_OFF }"]},"specialoffer:testimonial":{"I love my ProtonMail":["Adoro ProtonMail"],"My favorite email service":["Meu serviço favorito de e-mail"],"Thanks Proton for keeping us all safe in the complicated internet universe.":["Agradecemos ao Proton por nos manter a salvo no complicado universo da internet."],"You get what you pay for. In the case of big tech, if you pay nothing, you get used. I quit using Gmail and switched to @ProtonMail":["Você recebe pelo que paga. No caso das grandes tecnologias, você se acostuma quando não paga nada. Parei de usar o Gmail e troquei para o @ProtonMail"]},"specialoffer:time":{"Days":["Dias"],"Hours":["Horas"],"Min":["Min"]},"specialoffer:title":{"And much more":["E muito mais"],"Make your inbox yours":["Deixe a caixa de entrada do seu jeito"],"Safe from trackers":["A salvo de rastreadores"],"Stay organized":["Mantenha-se organizado"],"Black Friday email deals":["Ofertas de e-mail da Black Friday"],"Don’t just take our word for it":["Não confie apenas em nossa palavra"],"Our story":["Nossa história"],"Transfer your data from Google in one click":["Transfira seus dados do Google com um clique"]},"specialoffer:tooltip":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES }+ countries, connect up to 10 devices, access worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Acesse conteúdo bloqueado e navegue com privacidade. Inclui ${ TOTAL_SERVERS } servidores em +${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES } países, conecte até 10 dispositivos, acesse serviços de streaming do mundo todo, malware e bloqueador de anúncios e muito mais."],"Easily share your calendar with your family, friends or colleagues, and view external calendars.":["Compartilhe facilmente seus calendários com amigos, familiares ou colegas e visualize calendários externos."],"Includes support for 1 custom email domain, 10 email addresses, 10 hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Inclui suporte para 1 domínio de e-mail personalizado, 10 endereços de e-mail, 10 aliases do hide-my-email, compartilhamento de calendário e muito mais."],"Includes support for 3 custom email domains, 15 email addresses, unlimited hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Inclui suporte para 3 domínios de e-mail personalizados, 15 endereços de e-mail, aliases ilimitados do hide-my-email, compartilhamento de calendário e muito mais."],"Manage up to 25 calendars, mobile apps, secured with end-to-end encryption, 1-click calendar import from Google, and more.":["Gerencie até 25 calendários, apps para dispositivos móveis, protegidos com criptografia de ponta a ponta, importação de calendário com 1 clique do Google e muito mais."]},"Status Banner":{"At the moment we are experiencing issues with the Proton VPN service":["No momento estamos enfrentando problemas com o serviço Proton VPN"],"Learn more":["Saiba mais"]},"Status banner":{"Learn more":["Saiba mais"],"Please note that at the moment we are experiencing issues with the ${ issues[0] } service.":["No momento, estamos com problemas no serviço ${ issues[0] }."],"We are experiencing issues with one or more services at the moment.":["No momento, estamos com problemas em um ou mais serviços."]},"suggestions":{"Suggestions":["Sugestões"]},"Support":{"Sub category":["Subcategoria","Subcategorias"]},"Support article":{"${ readingTime } min":["${ readingTime } min","${ readingTime } min"],"Category":["Categoria","Categorias"],"Didn’t find what you were looking for?":["Não encontrou o que procura?"],"General contact":["Contato geral"],"Get help":["Obter ajuda"],"Legal contact":["Contato jurídico"],"Media contact":["Contato de mídia"],"Partnerships contact":["Contato de parcerias"],"Reading":["Leitura"]},"Support categories":{"Browse Proton product support":["Navegar pelo suporte a produtos da Proton"]},"Support category":{"There is no article in this category yet.":["Ainda não há nenhum artigo nesta categoria."]},"Support troubleshooting":{"--- Select ---":["--- Selecionar ---"],"App version":["Versão do aplicativo"],"Browser":["Navegador"],"Check if this helps":["Confira se isso ajuda"],"Choose a category for your question":["Escolha uma categoria para sua pergunta"],"Choose a product":["Selecione um produto"],"Did this solve your issue ?":["Isso resolveu seu problema?"],"Faster assistance is just a few clicks away — please make your selections":["Assistência mais rápida está a apenas alguns cliques de distância — faça suas seleções"],"No, contact support":["Não, entrar em contato com o suporte"],"Proton account":["Conta Proton"],"Proton Bridge":["Proton Bridge"],"Proton Calendar":["Proton Calendar"],"Proton Drive":["Proton Drive"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Proton Mail":["Proton Mail"],"Proton Pass":["Proton Pass"],"Proton VPN":["Proton VPN"],"Thank you for your feedback":["Agradecemos pelo feedback"],"Troubleshooting":["Solução de problemas"],"What can we help with ?":["Como podemos ajudar você?"],"Yes":["Sim"]},"support_modal_search_query":{"Search query":["Consulta de pesquisa"]},"support_search_button":{"Search":["Pesquisar"]},"support_search_i_am_looking_for":{"I'm looking for":["Estou procurando"]},"SupportForm":{"For a faster resolution, please report the issue from the Bridge app: Help > Report a problem.":["Para uma resolução mais rápida, informe o problema no aplicativo Bridge: Ajuda > Comunicar um problema."],"Information":["Informações"]},"SupportForm:option":{"Account Security":["Segurança da conta"],"Contacts":["Contatos"],"Custom email domain":["Domínio de e-mail personalizado"],"Email delivery and Spam":["Entrega de e-mail e spam"],"Encryption":["Criptografia"],"Login and password":["Início de sessão e senha"],"Merge aliases and accounts":["Combinar alias e contas"],"Migrate to Proton":["Migrar para a Proton"],"Notifications":["Notificações"],"Other":["Outros"],"Plans and billing":["Planos e faturamento"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Sign up":["Criar conta"],"Storage":["Armazenamento"],"Users, addresses, and identities":["Usuários, endereços e identidades"]},"SupportForm:optionIntro":{"Select a topic":["Selecione um tópico"]},"swiss_baseed_feature":{"Swiss based":["Sediado na Suíça"]},"Testimonial":{"Awards":["Prêmios"],"Customers":["Clientes"],"Featured":["Em destaque"],"Go to testimonial source":["Ir para a página inicial de depoimentos"],"Reviews":["Avaliações"],"Videos":["Vídeos"]},"Text":{"Find the plan that's right for you":["Encontre o plano certo para você"],"If you need help, check out our ${ supportLink }.":["Se precisar de ajuda, confira nossa ${ supportLink }."],"The page you’re looking for might have been removed, or it could be an\nold link.":["É possível que a página que você está procurando tenha sido removida ou seja um\nlink antigo."]},"Title":{"On this page":["Nesta página"],"Related articles":["Artigos relacionados"],"Share ${ thisPage }":["Compartilhar ${ thisPage }"],"Thank you!":["Obrigado!"],"this page":["esta página"]},"Tooltip":{"More information":["Mais informações"]},"tooltip_calendar":{"Create up to 20 custom & shareable encrypted calendars. On top of that, add up to 5 calendars from friends, family, colleagues, and organizations.":["Crie até 20 calendários compartilháveis personalizados e criptografados. Além disso, é possível adicional até 5 calendários de amigos, família, colegas e organizações."]},"tooltip_vpn":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES }+ countries, highest VPN speed, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } VPN connections, worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Acesse conteúdo bloqueado e navegue com privacidade. Inclui mais de ${ TOTAL_SERVERS } servidores em mais de +${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES } países, VPN com a mais alta velocidade, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } conexões VPN, serviços de streaming no mundo todo, malware e bloqueador de anúncios e muito mais."],"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES }+ countries, highest VPN speed, 10 VPN connections, worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Acesse conteúdo bloqueado e navegue com privacidade. Inclui mais de ${ TOTAL_SERVERS } servidores em mais de +${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES } países, VPN com a mais alta velocidade, 10 conexões VPN, serviços de streaming no mundo todo, malware e bloqueador de anúncios e muito mais."]},"version_history_label":{"Version history":["Histórico de versões"]},"version_history_tooltip":{"Store up to ${ versionHistoryNumber } versions of each file for up to ${ years } years":["Armazene até ${ versionHistoryNumber } versões de cada arquivo por até ${ years } anos"]},"vpn_features_link":{"View VPN plans":["Visualizar planos de VPN"]},"vpn_features_useCase":{"Access blocked content and browse privately":["Acesse conteúdo bloqueado e navegue com privacidade"]}}},"unleashApi":"https://account.proton.me/api"};
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From job applications to business contracts, we use email to send and receive sensitive documents on a daily basis. However, email has certain vulnerabilities, like any technology. If you receive emails, you need to make sure they’re genuine and not potential phishing or ransomware attacks. And if you send emails, especially ones that contain sensitive information, you want to make sure those messages cannot be scanned or shared without your permission.
Fortunately, there are easy ways to send and receive documents securely via private email. In this article, we look at the types of documents you can send securely over email and how you can better protect the files stored in your inbox.
What types of documents can you send over email?
No matter what email provider you use, you should be able to send documents and files as email attachments. You can send any file over email as long as it doesn’t exceed the maximum file size limit set by your email provider. Here are some popular file types and their file extensions:
Text files (.doc, .docx, .txt)
PDF documents (.pdf)
Presentations (.ppt, .pptx)
Spreadsheets (.xls, .xlsx)
Images (.jpeg, .png, .gif)
Sound files (.mp3, .m4a)
Video files (.mp4, .mov, .avi)
eBooks (.mobi, .epub)
Some documents could contain sensitive information about you, such as your address or bank account. And nearly all digital documents have metadata, which are details about the file itself, such as when and where it was created or what device was used. For example, if you sent an image as an email attachment, your email provider could easily see where and when the picture was taken.
Using the contents of your inbox, your email provider can track your online and even offline habits, allowing them to build an intimate profile of your life. This data can then be sold to third parties or used to target you with ads. For this reason, you should always ensure no one can access your documents besides you and your recipient.
Sending documents securely via email
The safest way to send a document to someone is to hand it to them personally. However, this is rarely an option, so it’s much more convenient to send documents digitally. Here are four steps you can follow to protect the integrity of your files when sending or receiving them over email.
Step 1: Practice good digital hygiene
The first line of defense to protecting the sensitive files in your inbox is practicing good digital hygiene. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use a strong and unique password or passphrase to protect your account. If you’re having trouble coming up with a strong password, you can use a password manager. A password manager generates and stores login credentials associated with online accounts, including email accounts.
Step 2: Protect your file with a strong password
Depending on the type of file you’re sending, you may be able to secure it with a password. Software such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat allows you to password protect certain documents and PDF files before sending them.
How to password protect a Microsoft Office document
To password protect a Microsoft Word document:
Open the document you’d like to protect.
Select File → Info → Protect Document → Encrypt with Password.
Type a password, then retype it to confirm.
Save the file so the password takes effect.
How to password protect a PDF document
Open the PDF you’d like to password protect in Adobe Acrobat.
Select Tools → Protect.
You can either restrict file editing with a password or encrypt the entire file with a certificate or password.
Click OK and select Save.
How to password protect a presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint
Setting a password in a presentation prevents other people from opening or modifying it. To add a password:
Open the presentation.
Select File → Info → Protect Presentation → Encrypt with Password.
Enter the password, click OK, then save the file.
Once protected with a password, you can securely send your file to your recipient as an email attachment. However, this method may not work if your recipient does not have access to the same software. In this case, you should send your document as an encrypted attachment.
Step 3: Send your file as an encrypted attachment
When you encrypt an attachment, the file cannot be intercepted or accessed by anyone except your intended recipient. However, regular attachments are only protected by basic encryption, such as TLS. TLS secures an email as it moves between email providers, meaning your attachment could be accessed by a third party after it reaches your recipient’s inbox.
Additionally, a secure TLS connection requires that both you and your recipient use email providers that support TLS. If your recipient’s email provider does not support TLS, eavesdroppers could read your message and access your attachment while the email is in transit.
Pick a secure and private email provider to send your attachment
To send documents securely over email, you need to choose a trusted email provider that supports advanced encryption. The easiest way to do this is to use Proton Mail. Proton Mail automatically protects all your messages and attachments with end-to-end encryption (E2EE) and zero-access encryption. The encryption happens seamlessly in the background, giving you peace of mind that your messages and files are automatically protected.
If you send an email from your Proton Mail inbox to a recipient who does not use Proton Mail, you can still encrypt your message and attachment using the Password-protected Emails feature. With Password-protected Emails, your recipient must enter a previously agreed-upon password to open the message. You can also use the message expiration timer to ensure that the message and its attachments are automatically deleted once the timer runs out.
Step 4: Use an encrypted cloud storage solution
If the document you’re sending exceeds your email provider’s maximum file size limit, you can opt to send it using an encrypted cloud storage solution. To send your recipient the document, simply upload the file and copy and paste the download link into your email.
While there are many cloud storage solutions on the market, not all are created equal. Some file-sharing solutions, such as Dropbox, do not use end-to-end encryption to protect your files. In fact, Dropbox revealed in 2016 that it was hacked(new window), resulting in a major security breach that exposed more than 68 million users’ data and passwords on the internet. Dropbox also holds the encryption keys to your files, meaning the company can decrypt and read your sensitive documents.
Send your documents using Proton Drive
The safest way to send your documents securely is to sign up for a free Proton Drive account. Proton Drive is the latest addition to our private-by-default ecosystem and uses the same end-to-end encryption in Proton Mail to protect your files. With Proton Drive:
Any file you upload is encrypted on your device before being stored on our servers.
All file metadata is encrypted, including its name, file extension, thumbnail, and more.
Nobody can access your file unless you’ve sent them a secure file-sharing link.
To share a file securely, sign in to Proton Drive and upload it. Then, create a secure, shareable link. Once you’ve shared the link with your recipient, they will be taken to a page where they can download the file or folder. The file you’ve shared remains encrypted until it reaches your recipient’s device.
You can also add a password to protect your document or set an expiration timer. This ensures you have full control over who can access your document and for how long.
At Proton, keeping your data safe is our top priority. This is why we’ve developed privacy-first services like Proton Mail and Proton Drive to help you send files securely over the internet. If you’d like to support our mission of building a better internet, consider subscribing to a paid plan.
WeTransfer is a popular service used by millions worldwide to send large files.
You may have wondered if it’s safe or whether you should use it to share
sensitive files. We answer these questions below and present a WeTransfer
alternative that may su
Dictionary attacks are a common method hackers use to try to crack passwords and
break into online accounts.
While these attacks may be effective against people with poor account security,
it’s extremely easy to protect yourself against them by usi
Data breaches are increasingly common. Whenever you sign up for an online
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Secure, seamless communication is the foundation of every business. As more
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On the subject of cybersecurity, one term that often comes up is brute force
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Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act has become notorious as
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