Securing and Sending Files with 7-Zip

Installing 7-Zip: 

• Emailing files containing Personal Identifiable Information (PII) or confidential information such as social security numbers, birth dates, grade information, or computer passwords, must be encrypted and password protected to secure them from unauthorized disclosure as per the Information Classification and Handling Information Technology Directive. 
• MCCCD recommends the software 7-Zip, which compresses and secures files with encryption and a password to protect files that contain Personal Identifiable Information (PII). 
• Download 7-Zip from the MCCCD Software Center / Company Portal.
  • To find the Software Center, search the term Software Center in your Windows start menu or search bar at the bottom of your screen.

• Select 7-Zip from the list of applications and click install
  • Note: This will not trigger an admin prompt; the software will be installed on your MCCCD device. 
  • Click on the image below to expand the example steps.

Emailing Files with Confidential Information: 

• Emailing files containing Personal Identifiable Information (PII) or confidential information such as social security number, birth dates, grade information, or computer passwords, must be encrypted and password protected to secure them from unauthorized disclosure as per the Information Classification and Handling Information Technology Directive. 
• If you do not have software to compress and secure files with encryption and a password, download 7-Zip. Use the Installing 7-Zip instructions above for installation assistance.
• To Secure the information you are trying to share open the Windows Start Menu and open 7-Zip File Manager.

• Navigate within the File Manager to the file you wish to be zipped on your MCCCD device.
  • ​​​​​​​Click on the image below to expand the example steps.

• Right-click the file or folder to be encrypted.
• Select 7-Zip.
• Select Add to archive.
  • Optional: Rename the file. 
• Select Zip from the drop-down menu as the Archive format. 
• Enter and Reenter the password. The password is required to protect the file. You will provide this password to the recipient. 
• Select the Encryption method AES-256 from the drop down menu. ​​​​​​​
• Click OK. Notice that the zipped file is saved in the same location as the original file. (See file path example in step 4.)
  • Click on the image below to expand the example steps.

Emailing/Receiving the Encrypted File encrypted using 7-Zip:

• Open your email and attach the zipped file to your message.
• Provide the email recipient(s) with the password. Best practice: Call the recipient(s) to convey the password.
  • Optional: Email the password to the recipient(s). ALWAYS send the password in a new email that does not include the attached file.​​​​​​​
• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Once the encrypted file is received, it will contain the Encrypted attachment warning message as displayed below.
  • Click on the image below to expand the example.

• To unzip files, see the instructions above for 7-zip installation assistance.
• Download the file from the email. 
• Open 7-Zip File Manager.
• Navigate to the file to be unzipped.
• Right-click on the file to be unzipped and select Extract files.
• Select where to save the files by clicking the triple dot icon [ . . . ]
• Enter the Password Provided by the sender.
• Click Ok and locate the saved file to open it. 
  • Click on the image below to expand the example.