Virtru - Detailed Review
Privacy Tools
Virtru - Product Overview
Overview of Virtru
Virtru is a leading provider of data-centric security solutions, particularly focusing on email, file, and SaaS application security. Here’s a brief overview of what Virtru offers:Primary Function
Virtru’s primary function is to protect sensitive data with end-to-end encryption, ensuring that data remains secure throughout its entire lifecycle, regardless of where it is shared. This includes emails, attachments, and files shared through various platforms like Gmail, Google Drive, Microsoft Outlook, and other SaaS applications.Target Audience
Virtru’s solutions are designed for businesses of all sizes, including government agencies, healthcare providers, financial institutions, and any organization that handles sensitive information. The platform is particularly useful for companies with a significant need for secure communication and data sharing, such as those in regulated industries.Key Features
End-to-End Encryption
Virtru provides end-to-end encryption for emails, files, and data shared through different platforms, ensuring that only authorized recipients can access the content.User-Friendly Interface
The platform offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies the encryption and decryption process, making it accessible to users without requiring technical expertise.Integration Capabilities
Virtru seamlessly integrates with popular email platforms like Gmail and Outlook, as well as file-sharing services such as Google Drive and Microsoft 365. This integration allows users to protect their data without disrupting their existing workflows.Access Controls and Compliance
Virtru provides granular access controls, including features like disable forwarding, expiration, and watermarking. It also helps businesses comply with data protection regulations and industry standards, ensuring secure sharing of sensitive information.Scalability and Customization
The solutions are scalable, allowing businesses to protect their data as they grow. Additionally, Virtru offers customization options to meet the specific security needs of different organizations.Secure Reader and Authentication
Recipients without Virtru can access protected emails via the secure reader, using federated identities or verification codes for seamless authentication. This ensures secure access without the need for new software installations. By focusing on these key features, Virtru enables organizations to protect their sensitive data effectively, ensuring secure collaboration and compliance with data protection regulations. Virtru - User Interface and Experience
When it comes to the user interface and experience of Virtru
Several key aspects stand out that make it highly user-friendly and efficient.
Ease of Use
Virtru is renowned for its ease of use, which is often cited as the top reason security leaders choose this software. The interface is simple and intuitive, allowing users to protect sensitive information without adding extra steps to their workflow. Users can stay within the apps they already use, such as Gmail, Google Drive, Zendesk, and Microsoft Outlook, thanks to seamless integrations.
Simple Integration
The integration process is straightforward and does not require significant changes to existing workflows. For instance, admins can implement Virtru in just a few minutes, and learning to administer it takes only about 30 minutes. This ease of integration makes it accessible for both small businesses and global enterprises.
User-Friendly Features
Virtru features a clean and simple design, often described as a “simple toggle switch” to turn encryption on or off. This simplicity ensures that end users can easily use the software without needing extensive training. The system also includes a warning function that detects sensitive keywords or data formats, prompting the user to verify before sending an email. This feature serves as an educational tool, ensuring users are cautious about what they send.
Recipient Experience
The recipient experience is equally streamlined. Recipients do not need to create new accounts or install any software to access encrypted data. They can log in with their existing credentials, making the process hassle-free.
Administrative Ease
For administrators, Virtru offers an easy-to-navigate admin console and the ability to customize rules, such as how messages are encrypted and routing rules. This flexibility allows admins to maintain full visibility throughout the data lifecycle and revoke access to data if necessary.
Overall User Experience
The overall user experience with Virtru is characterized by its simplicity, efficiency, and strong security. Users and admins appreciate the intuitive interface that balances usability with strong encryption. This makes it easy for organizations to roll out the software to many users with minimal support issues.
Summary
In summary, Virtru’s user interface is designed to be easy to use, integrate seamlessly with existing tools, and provide a smooth experience for both users and recipients, all while maintaining high levels of security.
Virtru - Key Features and Functionality
Virtru Overview
Virtru is a comprehensive data protection platform that offers several key features and functionalities to ensure the security and privacy of sensitive information. Here are the main features and how they work:End-to-End Encryption
Virtru uses end-to-end encryption, which means data is encrypted on the sender’s device and can only be decrypted by the intended recipient. This ensures that data remains secure throughout its journey, whether it is being shared via email or stored in the cloud. This encryption is based on AES-256 bit encryption, which supports the strictest compliance regulations such as CMMC, ITAR, and CJIS.User Control
Users have full control over their data with Virtru. They can revoke access to shared data, set expiration dates for sensitive information, and track who has accessed their data. This level of control gives users peace of mind knowing that their data is always protected and allows them to maintain data sovereignty.Secure File Sharing
Virtru enables secure file sharing by encrypting files and emails, ensuring that only authorized users can access the content. Users can set specific access levels for different recipients, allowing for granular control over who can view, edit, or download the shared files. This feature is particularly useful for businesses that need to collaborate on projects or share confidential information externally.Integration with SaaS Applications
Virtru integrates seamlessly with popular SaaS applications such as Gmail, Google Drive, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft Office 365. This integration allows users to protect and share files without disrupting their existing workflows. The platform supports easy key management for encryption and decryption, making it user-friendly and efficient.Attribute-Based Access Controls (ABAC)
Virtru uses ABAC to allow users to make granular decisions about who can access their data and when. This feature enables fine-grained access control, ensuring that sensitive data is only accessible to authorized individuals.Watermarking
Virtru includes a watermarking feature that allows users to track and monitor how their data is being used. This can be especially useful for businesses that need to comply with regulations or track the distribution of sensitive information.Automated Access Policies
The platform automates and enforces granular access policies to ensure that sensitive data does not leave the environment unprotected. This feature helps in maintaining compliance with various regulations and ensures data security at all times.Deployment Options
Virtru offers flexible deployment options, including self-managed, fully air-gapped, or VPC environments for maximum control over sensitive data. There is also a fully managed, commercial cloud option for greater convenience.AI-Driven Features
While Virtru does not explicitly integrate AI into its core encryption and security features, it does use AI in a supportive capacity. For example, Virtru has a native “warning” function that detects sensitive keywords or data formats and reminds the user before sending an email. This feature serves as an educational opportunity to ensure users are sending sensitive information to the right person.Conclusion
In summary, Virtru’s features are centered around providing secure, user-friendly, and granular control over data, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected and compliant with various regulations. While AI is not a primary component of its core security features, it is used to enhance user awareness and compliance. Virtru - Performance and Accuracy
Performance Issues
Virtru, while offering strong encryption capabilities, faces some performance-related challenges. Users have reported frequent technical issues, such as emails not sending properly, attachments displaying incorrectly, and frequent logouts that disrupt work continuity. Additionally, the integration with email clients like Outlook can be problematic. Users often need to open a separate web page to read encrypted emails, which can be inconvenient and may lead to clients requesting unencrypted reports to avoid the hassle.Accuracy and Encryption Errors
The accuracy of Virtru’s encryption and filtering mechanisms is another area of concern. There have been reports of unintentional or incorrect encryption of emails, which can cause issues for recipients. For example, filters can be overly aggressive, detecting sensitive information in links or text where it does not exist, or auto-encrypting emails based on keywords without proper context. This can lead to unnecessary encryption and workflow interruptions, requiring adjustments to the initial filters to prevent such issues.User Interface and Integration
The user interface of Virtru is often described as clunky and not user-friendly. The need for additional steps to access encrypted emails, particularly when using Outlook, can be a significant drawback. This poor integration can fragment the email process, especially in organizations where not all employees are uniformly equipped to handle encrypted communications.Onboarding and Workflow
Onboarding employees to use Virtru can be challenging. The system requires training and support, adding to the overall costs and complexities. Initial filters often need to be adjusted to prevent workflow interruptions, and users may find the arrangement to encrypt previous messages in an email chain cumbersome.Data Protection and Security
Despite these limitations, Virtru does offer strong data protection features. It uses AES-256 bit encryption to protect data in transit and at rest, supporting strict compliance regulations such as CMMC, ITAR, and CJIS. The platform also allows for granular policy and access control through attribute-based access controls (ABAC), which can be highly effective in managing sensitive data.Areas for Improvement
To improve performance and accuracy, Virtru needs to address the user interface and integration issues. Enhancing the seamless integration with popular email clients like Outlook and improving the user experience could make the product more appealing and easier to use. Additionally, refining the filtering mechanisms to reduce false positives and unnecessary encryption would help in maintaining workflow efficiency. Better onboarding processes and more intuitive settings could also reduce the learning curve and minimize disruptions. In summary, while Virtru offers strong encryption and data protection capabilities, it faces significant challenges related to performance, accuracy, and user experience. Addressing these issues could significantly enhance its overall effectiveness and user satisfaction. Virtru - Pricing and Plans
Virtru Pricing Model
Virtru offers a structured pricing model with several plans to cater to different user needs, from personal use to enterprise-level solutions.Free Option for Personal Use
Virtru provides a free version for personal use, allowing individuals to send and receive secure emails and attachments. This free option is available through the Virtru Chrome extension and integrates seamlessly with Gmail, offering end-to-end encryption for personal emails.Paid Plans
Starter Data Protection Package
- Price: Starting at $119 per month for 5 users.
- Features: This plan is designed for small businesses seeking simple email data protection. It includes basic email encryption and data security features.
Business Data Protection Package
- Price: Starting at $219 per month for 5 users.
- Features: This plan includes everything in the Starter package, plus additional secure workflows and heightened regulatory compliance obligations. It is suitable for businesses with more advanced security needs.
CMMC / FedRAMP / ITAR Protection Package
- Price: Starting at $399 per month for 5 users.
- Features: This plan is tailored for organizations that conduct business with US federal government agencies. It includes all features from the Business package, along with specific compliance requirements for CMMC, FedRAMP, and ITAR.
Enterprise Data Protection Package
- Price: Custom pricing based on the organization’s needs.
- Features: This plan is for larger organizations requiring advanced data security solutions. It includes all features from the Business package, plus additional customized security measures and support.
Additional Notes
- Each paid plan is subscription-based and can be scaled according to the number of users.
- Virtru also offers a free trial for its paid plans, allowing users to test the features before committing to a subscription.
- The platform supports various integrations, including Google Workspace (Gmail and Google Drive) and Microsoft Outlook, and complies with several regulatory standards such as HIPAA, GDPR, and CCPA.
Virtru - Integration and Compatibility
Integration with Email Clients
Gmail
Virtru offers robust integration with popular email clients such as Gmail and Microsoft Outlook. For Gmail, Virtru provides a Google Chrome browser extension that allows users to send and receive secure emails directly within the Gmail interface. This extension is compatible with the current and four preceding versions of the Chrome browser.Microsoft Outlook
For Microsoft Outlook, Virtru provides end-to-end encryption for messages and attachments, supporting both Outlook for Desktop and Microsoft 365 Outlook. This integration ensures that sensitive data remains protected whether sent via Gmail or Outlook.Integration with Productivity Suites
Virtru extends its security features to other components of Google Workspace, including Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides. This allows users to protect and share sensitive data across various Google applications while maintaining full control and data sovereignty.Compatibility with SaaS Applications
Virtru is compatible with several SaaS (Software as a Service) applications, enabling automated data protection for emails, files, and other data flowing in and out of the organization. It integrates with tools like Zendesk, Google Drive, and Confluence, making secure collaboration and file sharing straightforward.Compatibility with Salesforce
While Virtru is generally compatible with the Salesforce Gmail Integration, there are some known incompatibilities. For instance, Salesforce cannot track link clicks in encrypted emails sent via Virtru, and using Salesforce’s “Send Later” feature on a Virtru secure draft can lock all parties out of the message. However, basic functionalities such as email open tracking continue to work.Network and Endpoint Requirements
For Virtru to function correctly, it requires access to specific endpoints. All connections to these endpoints are made using minimum TLS 1.2 and ciphers in the RESTRICTED profile list. The necessary endpoints include api.virtru.com, cdn.virtru.com, login.virtru.com, and others, all of which use TCP port 443.Hosting and Deployment Options
Virtru offers flexible deployment options to meet different organizational needs. Users can host the Virtru Platform in a self-managed, fully air-gapped, or VPC environment for maximum control over sensitive data. Alternatively, a fully managed commercial cloud option is also available for greater convenience.Conclusion
In summary, Virtru’s integration capabilities are extensive, allowing it to work seamlessly with a range of email clients, productivity suites, and SaaS applications. While there are some specific considerations for certain integrations like Salesforce, Virtru generally provides a user-friendly and comprehensive data security solution across various platforms and devices. Virtru - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support Approach
At Virtru, customer support is a top priority, with a strategic focus on retaining and serving customers. The entire company is involved in finding ways to positively impact customers, not just the Customer Support team. This approach includes amplifying the human element of support, reassuring customers that they are in good hands and that Virtru has their back, regardless of the technical issue.
Help Center and Resources
Virtru has revamped its Help Center to make it more user-friendly and accessible. This includes help articles and videos specifically designed for recipients and end users. The company has also improved reply times and resolution times by over 60%, ensuring quicker support for customers.
Integration with Business Applications
For customer support teams, Virtru Secure Share integrates seamlessly with business applications like Zendesk and Salesforce. This allows for fast and secure file sharing directly within a customer’s ticket or case, enabling support teams to resolve issues more quickly. Support representatives can request sensitive files from customers using personalized links, and these files are encrypted end-to-end upon upload, transit, and at the destination.
Secure File Sharing
Virtru Secure Share is an encrypted file-sharing platform that enables support teams to gather and share sensitive information securely. This platform allows data owners to grant or revoke access to content, set expiration dates, and track who has accessed the data using the Control Center. This ensures compliance with various data security regulations such as PCI, GLBA, GDPR, CCPA, ITAR, and CMMC.
Training and Onboarding
To support new customers, Virtru works with its marketing team to deliver relevant Help Center resources at the appropriate time. For example, guides for getting started and product overviews are automatically sent to new customers a couple of weeks after they become Virtru users, helping them get the most value out of the product.
Data-Centric Security Resources
Virtru provides extensive resources on data-centric security, including how to protect sensitive data both within and outside the organization. The company’s Data Security Platform ensures that data is protected throughout its entire lifecycle, with features like granular access control policies and comprehensive visibility into data access and usage.
Conclusion
In summary, Virtru’s customer support is built around a customer-first approach, with improved response times, comprehensive resources, and secure integration with business applications. This ensures that customers can resolve issues quickly and securely, while maintaining full control over their data.
Virtru - Pros and Cons
Advantages
Ease of Use
Ease of Use: Virtru is often praised for its simplicity and user-friendly interface. Users find it easy to encrypt and decrypt emails without needing extensive technical knowledge.
Strong Encryption
Strong Encryption: Virtru uses AES-256 bit encryption, which is robust enough to support strict compliance regulations such as CMMC, ITAR, and CJIS. This ensures data is protected both in transit and at rest.
Granular Access Control
Granular Access Control: The platform offers attribute-based access controls (ABAC) that allow users to make precise decisions about who can access their data and when. This feature is particularly useful for maintaining data sovereignty.
Seamless Integration
Seamless Integration: Virtru integrates well with existing workflows and popular email clients like Outlook, making it easy to implement without significant changes to current systems.
Zero Trust Security
Zero Trust Security: Virtru adheres to a Zero Trust model, ensuring that data is secure even when shared externally. This model verifies user identities at critical points of access, enhancing overall security.
HIPAA Compliance
HIPAA Compliance: For organizations in healthcare, Virtru helps maintain HIPAA compliance by securely encrypting emails that contain protected health information (PHI). The email recall feature is particularly useful for preventing potential HIPAA violations.
Disadvantages
Compatibility Issues
Compatibility Issues: Users have reported compatibility issues with their email systems, which can lead to software lags, email client crashes, and difficulties in accessing encrypted emails.
Recipient Access Difficulties
Recipient Access Difficulties: Recipients without a Virtru account often face challenges in opening encrypted emails, especially if they are using certain devices like iPads. This can create communication barriers.
Clunky Integration
Clunky Integration: Some users find the integration with email clients like Outlook to be clunky, sometimes requiring the opening of a separate web page to read emails.
Training and Onboarding
Training and Onboarding: Organizations have encountered difficulties in training staff to use Virtru effectively due to its aggressive filters and auto-encryption features, which can interrupt workflows.
Performance Issues
Performance Issues: There have been reports of emails being saved to the drafts folder without notification, and occasional delays in decrypting messages. These issues can hinder the smooth operation of email communication.
Additional Steps
Additional Steps: Some users find that enabling Virtru requires additional steps, such as clicking an extra button to send an email, which can add to the overall time taken to compose and send emails.
These points highlight the key benefits and drawbacks of using Virtru for email and data security, helping you make an informed decision about whether it suits your needs.
Virtru - Comparison with Competitors
When Considering Email Encryption and Data Security Solutions
Virtru stands out with several unique features, but it’s also important to look at its competitors to find the best fit for your needs.
Virtru’s Unique Features
- End-to-End Encryption: Virtru uses the open standard Trusted Data Format to ensure that plaintext data is shielded from access by the email provider and other unauthorized parties.
- Ease of Use: Virtru integrates seamlessly with popular email platforms like Google Workspace and Microsoft Outlook, making it easy for users to encrypt emails without leaving their usual workflow. It also allows external recipients to access protected emails using their existing account credentials, without needing new usernames and passwords.
- Granular Control: Virtru offers features such as the ability to see if the recipient has opened the email, prevent forwarded emails from being read, set expiry dates, and revoke access to emails after they have been sent. It also provides attribute-based access controls (ABAC) to make granular decisions about who can access the data and when.
- Compliance: Virtru supports strict compliance regulations like CMMC, ITAR, and CJIS with AES-256 bit encryption for data in transit and at rest.
Alternatives and Competitors
Zix
- Policy-Based Filters: Zix offers automatic scanning of emails and attachments, encrypting those that contain sensitive data. It uses a “Best Method of Delivery” approach, ensuring secure message transmission through various methods like secure web portals or secure PDFs. However, Zix can be complex to set up and manage, especially for smaller organizations.
- Detailed Reporting: Zix provides comprehensive reporting for oversight and ease of use, but it may have a steep learning curve for both administrators and end-users.
SendSafely
- User-Friendly Interface: SendSafely is known for its ease of use and strong security. It offers end-to-end encryption, secure file sharing, and the ability to recall or expire sent messages. However, it may lack advanced Data Loss Prevention (DLP) features and might not be suitable for large enterprises with complex compliance requirements.
- Seamless Integration: SendSafely integrates well with popular email clients and productivity tools, making it easy to encrypt files and messages without disrupting the user’s workflow.
Proofpoint
- Comprehensive Data Protection: Proofpoint offers a broad approach to data security, securing sensitive data across various channels including email, web, cloud applications, and endpoints. It uses content inspection techniques to identify, monitor, and control data. However, Proofpoint can be complex to set up and manage, especially for smaller organizations, and may have high false positive rates.
- User-Friendly Interface and Reporting: Proofpoint has a user-friendly interface and detailed reporting capabilities, but it can be expensive, particularly for comprehensive coverage.
Paubox
- HIPAA Compliance: Paubox is an easy way to send and receive HIPAA-compliant emails. It is often recommended as a top alternative to Virtru due to its simplicity and productivity-focused features.
- Integration and Support: Paubox integrates well with popular email clients and provides strong support for secure email communication.
Trustifi
- Comprehensive Email Security: Trustifi offers a range of email security products, including inbound and outbound email security, data loss prevention, account takeover protection, email archiving, and security awareness training. It is known for its ease of deployment and use, making it a strong alternative for organizations looking for holistic email security solutions.
Conclusion
Virtru stands out for its balance between security and ease of use, particularly with its seamless integration with popular email platforms and granular control features. However, depending on your specific needs, alternatives like Zix, SendSafely, Proofpoint, Paubox, and Trustifi may offer different advantages. For example, if you need strong compliance with HIPAA, Paubox might be a better fit. If you require a comprehensive approach to data security across multiple channels, Proofpoint could be more suitable. Each solution has its unique strengths and potential drawbacks, so it’s important to evaluate them based on your organization’s specific requirements.
Virtru - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about Virtru
What is Virtru and how does it work?
Virtru is a data protection platform that uses advanced encryption technology to safeguard sensitive information across emails, documents, and other digital communications. It operates on the OpenTDF standard, ensuring data remains secure and private, even when shared with external parties. Virtru encrypts data on the sender’s device, and only the intended recipient can decrypt it, ensuring end-to-end encryption.What are the key features of Virtru’s technology?
Virtru’s core features include end-to-end encryption, which ensures data security throughout its journey. Users have full control over their data, allowing them to revoke access, set expiration dates, and track who has accessed their data. Additionally, Virtru offers watermarking to monitor how data is being used and track its distribution. It also provides granular permissions for file sharing and integrates seamlessly with popular email platforms and cloud storage services.How does Virtru ensure user control over shared data?
With Virtru, users have the ability to revoke access to shared data, set expiration dates for sensitive information, and track who has accessed their data. This level of control gives users peace of mind knowing that their data is always protected. Users can also prevent forwarded emails from being read and set expiry dates beyond which the email cannot be read.Is Virtru compatible with my existing email service?
Yes, Virtru is compatible with popular email services such as Gmail. It works as an add-on, providing client-side email encryption without the need for complicated setup or key exchanges. This makes it easy to integrate with your existing email service while maintaining high levels of security.What types of data should I encrypt using Virtru?
You should encrypt emails that contain sensitive information, such as personally identifiable information (PII), financial data, medical records, or student education records. However, certain types of regulated data, like Payment Card Industry (PCI) data, should never be sent via email, even with encryption.How do I use Virtru for personal email accounts?
For personal use, you can download the Virtru Chrome extension from the Chrome webstore. This extension allows you to send and receive secure emails and attachments using your personal Gmail account. It provides the same data protection capabilities you might use at work, ensuring your personal data remains secure.Does Virtru offer different pricing plans?
Yes, Virtru offers several pricing plans. The Starter plan is $119 per month for 5 users and includes features like HIPAA compliance, data loss prevention, and encrypted search. The Business plan is $219 per month for 5 users and adds additional features such as secure share, data intelligence, and advanced identity management. There is also an Enterprise plan that requires custom pricing and is tailored to specific business needs.How does Virtru handle email forwarding and expiration?
With Virtru, you can prevent a forwarded email from being read and set an expiry date beyond which the email cannot be read. You can also revoke the ability to read an email after it has been sent, giving you full control over the lifecycle of your emails.Can I track who has accessed my data shared via Virtru?
Yes, Virtru allows you to track who has accessed your data. This feature is part of its user control capabilities, ensuring you can monitor how your data is being used and by whom.Is Virtru compliant with regulatory standards?
Yes, Virtru is compliant with various regulatory standards, including HIPAA. It provides features such as data loss prevention, encrypted search, and additional compliance support, making it suitable for businesses that need to adhere to strict data protection regulations.How do I install and use Virtru with my email account?
To use Virtru, you typically need to install a Chrome browser extension or another compatible add-on. For example, if you are using Gmail, you can download the Virtru Chrome extension, activate it, and then start sending and receiving encrypted emails. Detailed installation and usage guides are usually provided by the organization or through Virtru’s support resources.