Starting October 1st, 2026, ITS will enable a data security solution in Outlook that will enhance protection of Social Security numbers.
Under UConn policy, confidential information, which includes SSNs, should not be sent by email because of the risk of exposure. Currently, if you attempt to send what looks like an SSN by email, a warning message appears. Now ITS is introducing an additional technical safeguard.
As part of our evolving Data Loss Prevention (DLP) strategy, emails sent to external, non-UConn recipients that contain SSNs will automatically receive a Highly Confidential sensitivity label and be encrypted. External recipients will receive an email notification and then must verify their identity by signing in to Microsoft 365 or using a one-time code to retrieve the contents of the message. The confidential information is not delivered to or stored in the recipient’s inbox, and they cannot forward or download the protected content. Additional information about sending or receiving a protected email is available at https://kb.uconn.edu/space/IKB/29155590175.
To better protect our community, ITS will pursue more DLP initiatives in the future. We will communicate in advance of changes. If you have questions about DLP, please contact us through the Technology Support Center at its.uconn.edu or techsupport@uconn.edu.