PROOFPOINT ENCRYPTION EMAIL

USER GUIDE
Date: June 2023
Table of contents

Contents
HSBC Secure Email Solutions 1
How to distinguish which solution was used? 1
About Proofpoint Encryption Email 1
How to Use Proofpoint Encryption Email 1
Receiving an encrypted email sent by Proofpoint 2
Opening an encrypted email encrypted by Proofpoint 2
First Time Registration 3
Setup your Proofpoint account 3
Digital Signature 5
Saving your encrypted email and attachments 5
How to Use Proofpoint Email Editor 5
Replying to and forwarding a Proofpoint Encrypted Email using Email Editor 5
Attaching documents 6
To receive a copy of your encrypted email 6
Sending the encrypted email 6
Logging into Proofpoint to read an Encrypted Email with an existing Proofpoint Account 6
Resetting your Proofpoint password 7
Glossary 8
Support 8
FAQ (frequently asked questions) 8
What happens if I forget my Proofpoint Encryption password? 8
What if I have forgotten my answer to the Security Question (required for password
reset)? 9
Can I still read a Proofpoint Encrypted message if the notification notification has been
deleted? 9
How long is the Validation Code valid for? Can I re-request a Validation Code if it is
rejected? 9
Troubleshooting 9
Expecting an encrypted email but haven’t received it? 9
Clicking on the link in the Notification email results in an error message: ‘the message you
requested is not yet or no longer available’ 9
Does Proofpoint Encryption work with a VPN enabled 9
Browsers that are not supported with Proofpoint Encryption: 9

1
HSBC Secure Email Solutions
At HSBC, security and the protection of customer data is one of our highest priorities. Our aim
is to always deliver a safe and secure banking experience at all times, including when we
communicate confidential information to customers.
We communicate with our customers in a variety of ways depending on their needs and
preferences. A personal banking customer may find that we send letters by post or documents
and messages that can be accessed when logged into online banking.
However, for our business customers and other clients there may be specific methods that we
jointly agree are the best way to communicate securely. It is our policy to secure any emails
containing information that could pose a risk to you or HSBC if intercepted inappropriately.
This reduces the risk of electronic eavesdropping, tampering and mail forgery.
Personal customers - such as some private banking clients, for example - may receive
encrypted emails from us. We currently support the use of two solutions to send these secure
emails: Voltage SecureMail and Proofpoint Encryption Email. Where possible Voltage
SecureMail is being replaced by Proofpoint Encryption Email (sometimes referred to as
Proofpoint or Proofpoint encryption in this user guide).

How to distinguish which solution was used?

When you receive a notification in your inbox that you have received an encrypted email, look
at the footer. It will clearly state which service was used to contact you. Visit hsbc.com and
search for “secure email communications” for more information.

Example of a Proofpoint Footer on notifications

About Proofpoint Encryption Email

At HSBC we are committed to upholding the strictest security on the information that we
communicate with you. That is why we have made it our policy to encrypt and secure all
emails when they contain information that could pose a risk to you or HSBC if intercepted by
someone else.
As part of this commitment, we have introduced the Proofpoint encryption email service, which
operates separately to our Internet Banking Service.
Proofpoint is an industry recognised enterprise security company, covering a range of
sensitive data users including banking, insurance, and national governmental departments.
Proofpoint Encryption Email is an email encryption solution that can be used with any email
application. It is compatible with desktop computers, laptops, and mobiles.

How to Use Proofpoint Encryption Email

The first time you receive a Proofpoint encrypted email, you will need to set up a Proofpoint
account before accessing your email. Setting up an account is easy. There is no need to
download any software or provide any bank details or any other financial information. You will
simply be asked to provide your name, password, and answer a security question. See the
First Time Registration section.
This user guide provides step by step instructions for opening and replying to the encrypted
email sent by HSBC via Proofpoint Encryption Email.
Disclaimer: By using Proofpoint Encryption Email, you agree to the HSBC Terms and
Conditions and understand our Privacy Policy. For more information open a browser window
and search for hsbc > .com > Terms and Conditions.

Receiving an encrypted email sent by Proofpoint

When you receive an encrypted email from HSBC encrypted by Proofpoint, you will receive a
notification in your email inbox containing instructions on how to access your encrypted email.

Opening an encrypted email encrypted by Proofpoint

Note: some email anti-spam filters may block encrypted attachments and you may need to
amend the settings to permit such emails.
Security Tip: Always check the sender’s email address before opening any emails. If you do
not recognise the sender, do not open the email.

Example of a notification email received when HSBC has sent you an encrypted email
To view the encrypted email from the notification, select the Click here link.
IMPORTANT!
Notification link will expire after one month.
First Time Registration
The first time you receive an encrypted email encrypted by Proofpoint you will need to set up
an account and register your login credentials. There is no need to download any software or
provide any bank details or any other financial information. You will simply be asked to enter
your name and password, then answer a security question.
Once you have set up your account, you will be able to log in and view your encrypted emails
at any time.

Setup your Proofpoint account

Create your login credentials by completing the First Name, Last Name and Password
fields. Check your mailbox for an email from [email protected] containing the Validation
Code, enter the code into the last box and click Continue.
The password policy is as follows:

Example of the password policy message

Make a note of your security question answer as you will need this if you forget or want to
reset your password. You will not be able to change the security question answer.
Note: If you wish to change your password at a later stage then you can do this on the Logon
screen (refer to Logging into Proofpoint to read an Encrypted Email with an existing Proofpoint
Account section)
Security Tip: In the interest of security, your password should be different to the ones you
use for accessing online financial account information or other email accounts. Please note
that HSBC will never ask you to enter your financial account or details such as your date of
birth in the HSBC Proofpoint account set up process or any other part of the Proofpoint
solution.
Example of a Proofpoint Encryption Email Registration screen
Your encrypted email will be displayed in the Secure Email Reader Inbox window in the
Proofpoint Encryption portal. You can view the secure emails that you have been sent by
HSBC in the pane to the left, just like a regular email inbox. These emails will be retained for
a period of one month, so it is highly recommended that you save a copy to your device.

Example of the Secure Email Reader Inbox window in the Proofpoint Encryption portal
From here you will be able to Reply, Reply All, Forward and Save attachments.
Click on the Help button for more information on how to use Proofpoint Encryption. Refer to
the FAQ and Troubleshooting sections in this document for further help.

Digital Signature

Example of a digital signature

The Digital Signature is Valid means that the encrypted email has come from a trusted
source at HSBC, and that your email has been validated.

Saving your encrypted email and attachments

If you want to download a copy of the email or email body, click the Save As button and
choose your required format option.

Example of the Save As options

 Save Message Body as HTML will save the email as a window you can open in your
web browser.
 Save as ZIP Archive will download the email and all attachments into a folder.
 Save as EML Message will mean you can open the encrypted email in Outlook.

How to Use Proofpoint Email Editor

Replying to and forwarding a Proofpoint Encrypted Email using Email Editor
From within the Secure Email Reader Inbox, you can choose Reply, Reply All or Forward,
just like a normal email account. You can add or remove recipients. A forwarded message will
have FWD in the subject line.
Note: It is not possible to reply or forward to non-HSBC email addresses. Doing so will result
in an error message.
Note: Do not use the back or forward buttons on your browser. If you want to return to the
original encrypted email, press Cancel.
Example of the Secure Email Reader Inbox screen showing the reply option
The Rich Text Editor toolbar has a number of functions to help you format text, add links,
search and replace, and more.

Attaching documents
To attach documents, you can click the Attach a File button then click Choose.

Search for your document using the file browser and click Open to attach. You can remove
attachments by clicking the X button which is displayed next to each file you have attached.

To receive a copy of your encrypted email

To receive a copy of your reply, click on the Send me a copy checkbox option.

Sending the encrypted email

When you are ready to send your reply, click the Send button. An encrypted email will be sent
to the recipient(s).

Logging into Proofpoint to read an Encrypted Email with an existing

Proofpoint Account
To open an encrypted email with an existing Proofpoint account, you will be directed to the
Proofpoint Logon screen.
Example of a Proofpoint Encryption Login Screen
On the Proofpoint Login screen, please check the Email field is pre-populated with your
email address. Check that it is correct, then enter your password.
Under Security, you can choose the Private Computer option for the web site to remember
your credentials, so that you not need to enter them next time you logon to Proofpoint. If you
do not want this to happen then select the Public or Shared Computer option.
Click the Continue button to login and proceed to the secure Email Reader Inbox to view the
encrypted email.

Resetting your Proofpoint password

If you cannot remember or would like to reset your password, click on the Forgot password
link in the Login screen.
You need to answer the security question, chosen during account creation, in order to reset
your password.
Note: If you do not remember your security question answer, please contact the HSBC
representative who sent you the encrypted email, who will be able to help you further.

Example of a Reset your password box

Enter a new password that meets the HSBC Password Policy

Example of Enter New Password screen

Glossary
Encryption - Encryption is the process of transforming data so it's unreadable to anyone
except the party that is authorised to receive it.
Encrypted email - Encrypted email is an email that has been encrypted so that it can be sent
securely over the internet. Encrypted email is referred to as message on the notifications and
in some of the Proofpoint screens.
Secure Message/secure email – an encrypted email
Web Browser - A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and
traversing information resources on the Internet.

Support
For all support with Proofpoint, please contact the HSBC Representative who sent you the
encrypted email, who will assist you with your query.

FAQ (frequently asked questions)

How long will my Proofpoint Encryption session last after inactivity?
Proofpoint Encryption will automatically terminate a logged in session after 15 minutes of
inactivity from the user.

What happens if I forget my Proofpoint Encryption password?

In the event you have forgotten your Proofpoint Encryption password, you can reset it by
clicking on the “Forgot Password” link. At this point, you will need to successfully enter the
answer to your Security Question. If entered correctly you will be able to set a new password.
If entered incorrectly, you will be given another attempt.
What if I have forgotten my answer to the Security Question (required for password
reset)?
There is no provision for you to reset your password if you cannot remember the answer to
the Security Question. In this scenario, you should contact a HSBC member of staff who will
be required to raisean incident request.

Can I still read a Proofpoint Encrypted message if the notification notification has been
deleted?
Yes, it will appear in the Proofpoint Encryption Secure Email Reader Inbox.

How long is the Validation Code valid for? Can I re-request a Validation Code if it is
rejected?
The Validation Code is valid for 30 minutes and you can re-request it every 3 minutes.

Troubleshooting
If you are having trouble accessing your encrypted email, try some of these tips.

Expecting an encrypted email but haven’t received it?

Some email anti-spam filters may block encrypted attachments or file them in your Junk mail.
You may need to amend the settings in your email filter to permit such emails.

Clicking on the link in the Notification email results in an error message: ‘the message
you requested is not yet or no longer available’
Refer back to the Notification email to check the time the HSBC sender sent the secure email.
If it is less than a minute, wait for another minute and try again. If the problem persists, ask
the HSBC sender to raise an incident request.

Does Proofpoint Encryption work with a VPN enabled

Proofpoint Encryption may not work with all VPNs and you may encounter an error message.
Try switching the VPN off. Some browsers and antivirus may have a built-in VPN – check
these are disabled. If you still cannot open the Proofpoint encrypted email, ask the HSBC
sender to raise an incident request.

Browsers that are not supported with Proofpoint Encryption:

Most browsers are supported with Proofpoint Encryption. If you are getting continual error
messages or session timeouts, try logging in on a different browser. If the issues persist, ask
the HSBC sender to raise an incident request.

HSBC Bank plc

Regulated by FSA
Registered in England No. 14259
Registered office: 8 Canada Square, London, E14 5HQ, United Kingdom
Member HSBC Group