Standard Operating Procedures

SOP10.8 - Document EncryptionVersion: 1.0 Status: Revised – 04/29/2015Contact: Chief Information Security Officer

Scope

In accordance with ISO/IEC 27002:2005(E), Exchange of Information §10.8, VCCS should consider the security implications associated with the exchange of information and software between organizations.

Requirement

VCCS and Colleges will protect information involved in electronic messaging with appropriate protection controls based upon the classification of data transmitted. Emails containing information classified as Sensitive or Confidential shall not be sent over any email system, unless encrypted.

Implementation Guidance

The procedure for encrypting documents vary from each application. Below are all common applications used to create documents and the procedures to encrypt those documents.

Microsoft Word 2010Microsoft Excel 2010Microsoft Word 2013Microsoft Excel 2013Adobe Acrobat Professional X, XIMicrosoft Word 2013 (PDFs)

Microsoft Word 2010

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1) When the document is ready to be encrypted. Click File in the top-left corner of the screen. Select the Info tab, Protect Document and then Encrypt with password.

2) The Encrypt Document window will open for you to enter a password. Enter a password

and click OK. You will be asked to confirm password and click OK again.

3) Save the document to apply new security settings.

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Microsoft Excel 20101) When the document is ready to be encrypted. Click File in the top-left corner of the

screen. Select the Info tab, Protect Document and then Encrypt with password.

2) The Encrypt Document window will open for you to enter a password. Enter a password and click OK. You will be asked to confirm password and click OK again.

3) The Info window will now reflect the new security permission.

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Microsoft Word 20131) Click File in the top right corner of the screen to bring up the Info screen. Select

Protect Document and then click Encrypt with password.

2) The Encrypt Document window will open for you to enter a password. Enter a password and click OK. You will be asked to confirm password and click OK again.

3) The Info window will now reflect the new security permission.

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Microsoft Excel 20131) Click File in the top right corner of the screen to bring up the Info screen. Select

Protect Workbook and then click Encrypt with password.

2) The Encrypt Document window will open for you to enter a password. Enter a password and click OK. You will be asked to confirm password and click OK again.

3) The Info window will now reflect the new security permission.

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Adobe Acrobat Professional X, XI and Microsoft Office 2013 PDF Creator

PDF documents can be encrypted with a password by using Adobe Acrobat Professional or a Microsoft Office Suite product used to create PDF files such as Microsoft Word.

Adobe Acrobat X, XI

1) Once Acrobat is open, click the Tools pane near the top right of the window. Open the Protection panel.

2) Select Encrypt, and then click Encrypt with Password. Next, confirm you want to change the security on the document.

3) On the password security screen, you want to add a Document Open password, which restricts who may open the document

4) Optionally, you may add a Permissions password that will disable the ability to print or make any changes to the document.

5)

Click Ok and confirm the password(s). Save the document in order to apply new security settings.

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Microsoft Office 2013 (PDF)

Microsoft Office is primarily used to create PDF files. Below are steps to save the document created in an Office program as a PDF with password protection.

1) Complete editing the document that you wish to save as a PDF and select Save As.

2) Under Save as type you will select PDF. Select the Options button to add the password.

3) Select Encrypt the document with a password and click OK.

4) Enter the password you wish to use to protect the document. Confirm password in second field and Click OK. Finally, save the document to apply security changes

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REVISION HISTORY

Date Version Reviewer List of Changes

20150505 1.0 SSISA Draft

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