Top Banks Sending Critical Communications Rely on Echoworx

The challenge: business continuity

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a large U.K. bank opted to provide relief to its mortgage customers. But, due to the immediate need of this crisis relief, the bank could not rely on physical mail to communicate this message to their customers. The process could take weeks and carried the risk of further spreading the virus. Their existing portal-based solution, Echoworx email encryption, could effectively reach customers instantaneously and securely but jurisdictional and regulatory requirements disqualified this as a viable communication option as well.

Secure communications to customers regarding mortgages in the U.K. must be sent in a manner classified as ‘durable media.’ This means any message content must provide customers, at any time, permanent accessibility to their mortgage-related data. Portal-based email messages, which expire in 30 days, do not qualify as durable media by definition.

Communication during a crisis, maintaining data security and regulations covering mortgage content were all challenges that led the bank to ultimately seek help from Echoworx.

The Solution

Leading banks use Echoworx to communicate easily during crisis

• Communicated mortgage information within a PDF document, encrypted and attached

  Encrypted attachment is a secure delivery option included in Echoworx, adding encrypted PDFs to the bank’s communication options was a standard support request.

• Critical information delivered direct to customers' email inbox

  PDFs are an industry standard file format which can be viewed on all major mobile and desktop platforms. The recipient doesn’t need to install specialized software or applications. They don’t need to log into a web portal. Since the message body doesn’t require encryption, only the attachment is encrypted. And the PDF attachment remains encrypted at-rest, giving recipients access to the secure message at any time – without worrying about expiration dates or message integrity.

The Result

Top banks easily enhance sensitive communications during pandemic

With the Echoworx encryption platform, Encrypted Attachment became just another delivery method for the bank.

Adding attached encrypted PDFs to the bank’s communication options was a streamlined process; no downtime required or business interruptions.

Using encrypted attachments the bank delivered an encrypted PDF document direct to the customer’s email inbox.

In addition to encrypted attachment capabilities, the bank maintained all the benefits of the Echoworx email encryption platform – including 27 languages supported out-of-the-box. With people pushing phishing scams in hopes of capitalizing during a crisis, the branding capabilities ensured that their customers understood that the message originated from them and contained secure information, with instructions in their language.

Using Echoworx email encryption, this financial institution was able to quickly communicate urgent mortgage relief information to its customer base — while fulfilling the jurisdictional requirements.

The secure reply to message option reduced strain of call centre workers inundated by calls from clients seeking help during the crisis. And given the Covid-19 Coronavirus can live on surfaces for several days, communicating using email over physical mail ensured physical distancing, important in the prevention of spread among communities.