{"id":29,"date":"2024-12-10T09:11:10","date_gmt":"2024-12-10T09:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acconor.com\/en-eu\/?p=29"},"modified":"2024-12-10T09:11:57","modified_gmt":"2024-12-10T09:11:57","slug":"how-to-safely-send-personal-information","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/acconor.com\/en\/how-to-safely-send-personal-information\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Safely Send Personal Information"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When sending personal or sensitive information to Acconor via email, <strong>using a secure email service<\/strong> is always the best solution, as it typically offers encryption and enhanced privacy features. If a secure email service is available, it&#8217;s the most reliable option for transmitting sensitive data. However, if you\u2019re using a standard email provider, adding an extra layer of security is crucial. One effective way to protect your files is by using a <strong>password-protected ZIP file<\/strong>. By encrypting the contents of the ZIP file, you can add an extra barrier, making it much harder for unauthorized individuals to access your information. In this guide, we&#8217;ll walk you through the steps of using <strong>7-Zip<\/strong>, an open-source and free tool, to create a password-protected ZIP file, and how to send the password securely via SMS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why 7-Zip?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While there are many tools available for creating password-protected ZIP files, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.7-zip.org\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.7-zip.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">7-Zip<\/a><\/strong> stands out for several reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Free and Open Source<\/strong>: 7-Zip is completely free to use and open-source software. Unlike many paid tools, it\u2019s available for everyone without any hidden fees or licensing costs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strong Encryption<\/strong>: 7-Zip supports AES-256 encryption, which is a high level of security, making it an excellent choice for encrypting sensitive data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cross-Platform Support<\/strong>: 7-Zip works on Windows and also has command-line versions available for other platforms, making it versatile for different users.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1: Creating a Password-Protected ZIP File with 7-Zip<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Download and Install 7-Zip<\/strong><br>If you don\u2019t already have 7-Zip, download it from the official website at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.7-zip.org\">7-zip.org<\/a>. Install the application following the simple setup instructions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Select Files to Encrypt<\/strong><br>After installing 7-Zip, navigate to the folder containing the files you want to protect. Select the files (or entire folder) that you want to encrypt.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Create the ZIP File<\/strong><br>Right-click on the selected files, then choose <strong>7-Zip > Add to archive&#8230;<\/strong> from the context menu. In the window that appears:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Choose the <strong>ZIP<\/strong> format (or 7z, but ZIP is the most common).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Under <strong>Encryption<\/strong>, enter a strong password. Ensure the password is long, complex, and includes a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose <strong>AES-256<\/strong> encryption (this is the strongest encryption option available in 7-Zip).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Save the Encrypted ZIP File<\/strong><br>Click <strong>OK<\/strong> to create the encrypted ZIP file. The newly created file will now require the password to extract its contents.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: Sending the ZIP File via Email<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Attach the Encrypted ZIP File<\/strong><br>Once the ZIP file is ready, attach it to your email. Make sure to include a note informing the recipient that the file is password-protected.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Do Not Include the Password in the Same Email<\/strong><br>For extra security, do not send the password in the same email thread. If your email account is compromised, an attacker could access both the ZIP file and its password. Instead, use a different communication method to share the password.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3: Sending the Password via SMS or Another Secure Method<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Send the Password Separately<\/strong><br>To ensure your sensitive information remains secure, send the password via <strong>SMS<\/strong> (text message) to the recipient, or use an encrypted messaging app like <strong>WhatsApp<\/strong>, <strong>Signal<\/strong>, or <strong>Telegram<\/strong>. These apps offer end-to-end encryption, making it much harder for anyone to intercept the message.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Verify the Recipient\u2019s Phone Number<\/strong><br>Before sending the password via SMS, double-check the recipient\u2019s phone number to make sure the message goes to the correct person. It\u2019s always a good idea to confirm the number via another method (e.g., a phone call) if you\u2019re unsure.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional Security Tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Monitor the Communication<\/strong>: After sending sensitive information, keep an eye out for any suspicious activity on your accounts or devices. This will help you detect any potential misuse early.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use Strong, Unique Passwords<\/strong>: When setting passwords for ZIP files, avoid common phrases or easily guessable information. A longer and more complex password provides better protection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consider Encrypted Alternatives for Extremely Sensitive Data<\/strong>: If you&#8217;re sending highly sensitive information (such as credit card details or personal identification numbers), consider using a secure portal or platform designed for confidential file sharing rather than email.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If available, using a <strong>secure email service<\/strong> is always the best way to send sensitive data, as it offers built-in encryption and enhanced privacy. However, for standard email providers, creating a <strong>password-protected ZIP file<\/strong> with <strong>7-Zip<\/strong> provides an excellent alternative to keep your files safe. As a free and open-source tool, 7-Zip offers strong encryption and ease of use, making it a great option for protecting your sensitive information. By following these steps and ensuring the password is sent securely via SMS or another method, you can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access to your data.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When sending personal or sensitive information to Acconor via email, using a secure email service is always the best solution, as it typically offers encryption and enhanced privacy features. If a secure email service is available, it&#8217;s the most reliable option for transmitting sensitive data. However, if you\u2019re using a standard email provider, adding an [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-knowledge-base"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/acconor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/acconor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/acconor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acconor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acconor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/acconor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31,"href":"https:\/\/acconor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29\/revisions\/31"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/acconor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acconor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acconor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}