Zivver Secure Email – FAQ

Audience: SUNY Plattsburgh faculty & staff who would like an extra layer of security for emails containing sensitive data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Zivver?

Zivver is a secure‑communication platform that adds client‑side encryption, large‑file transfer (up to 5 TB) and data‑loss‑prevention (DLP) coaching directly inside Gmail. Messages are encrypted on your device, so only you and the intended recipient can read them.

Why are we implementing it?

  • Protect sensitive data (student records, HR documents, contracts) without changing your workflow.

  • Prevent “oops” moments – Zivver scans the email before you click Send and warns if you accidentally added the wrong recipient or attachment.

  • Compliance with FERPA, HIPAA, GDPR and SUNY security policies.

Is installation required?

During the pilot you can opt‑in at any time by installing the Chrome extension yourself. All faculty/staff are loaded into Zivver and automatically have accounts. Later we may move to a campus‑wide rollout of the plugin to all Chrome web browsers on campus-owned computers.

How do I install the Chrome extension?

  1. The Zivver app is hidden from the Chrome Web Store and requires a direct link to access. 

  2. Install using this link. 

  3. Click Add to Chrome → Add extension.

  4. The Zivver shield icon appears in your Gmail toolbar; log in with your campus Google account when prompted.

Tip for mobile users: Zivver’s mobile‑friendly web portal will open when you read secure mail from a phone. Prefer a native app? Download Zivver for Android (Google Play) or Zivver for iOS (App Store) for the smoothest on‑the‑go experience. 

How do authenticate to the service?

When you open https://app.zivver.com or click the Zivver shield in the Chrome extension for the first time:

  1. On the “Choose your account type” screen, pick Workplace.

  2. Enter your @plattsburgh.edu email address and click Continue.

  3. You’ll be redirected to the SUNY Plattsburgh Single Sign‑On page at https://cas.plattsburgh.edu. Log in with your campus NetID and password and approve Duo.

  4. Zivver will create or retrieve your secure mailbox and take you straight to your inbox.

How do I send a secure email?

  1. Compose a new message in Gmail.

  2. Click the Zivver shield to switch security ON (you’ll see the header turn blue).

  3. Add any files (up to 5 TB each) and hit Send.

  4. For every Zivver message, if the recipient does not have a Zivver account (outside of plattsburgh.edu or they are a student) they receive a notification message by email. This notification message contains a unique link. This is the first factor of authentication. When recipients click on this link, they will arrive at a secure page. There they can enter the second factor of authentication.

How do recipients open my message?

  • Internal recipients with Zivver accounts simply open the email in Gmail and it decrypts automatically if they have the browser plugin; those without the plugin will be prompted to access it through the secure Zivver portal and can login by choosing "Workplace" to be brought to the official SUNY Plattsburgh authentication screen at https://cas.plattsburgh.edu.

  • External recipients or those without accounts (like students) get a secure‑link email. They verify their identity and view the message in Zivver’s web portal. For every Zivver message, the recipient receives a notification message by email. This notification message contains a unique link. This is the first factor of authentication. When recipients click on this link, they will arrive at a secure page. There they can enter the second factor of authentication.

Can I recall or expire a message?

Yes, open the “Sent” folder, click the Zivver shield, and select Revoke or Set expiry. The message becomes unreadable even if the recipient already opened it.

What about large files?

Zivver lets you drag‑and‑drop files up to 5 TB without clogging inbox quotas. Files stay encrypted at rest and in transit. This is also a mechanism to get around Gmail's 25mb message size limit.

How do automated rules work?

While we don’t force‑encrypt any outgoing mail, Zivver’s data‑loss‑prevention (DLP) engine looks for patterns that typically indicate sensitive data. If it detects something risky, the Secure Send checkbox is automatically switched ON and the header turns blue.

Triggers we’ve enabled:

  • U.S. Social Security numbers (###‑##‑####)

  • SUNY Plattsburgh student ID numbers (often same 9‑digit format)

  • Bank‑account and routing numbers

  • Credit‑card numbers (Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, Discover)

  • Other high‑risk identifiers defined by SUNY security policy

This is a recommendation, not a lock‑down. If you’re sure the match is a false positive, you may uncheck Secure Send and send normally.

When in doubt, send secure. It costs nothing extra and ensures the data is protected end‑to‑end.

Does Zivver store my emails?

Messages are stored encrypted on Zivver’s servers. Because the encryption keys stay with you, neither Zivver nor SUNY Plattsburgh staff can read the contents.

Who should use Zivver?

Anyone sending:

  • Personally identifiable information (PII)

  • Student health or financial data

  • Research data under NDA

  • Anything you’d hesitate to put in regular email

What are “Conversation Starters”?

Conversation Starters are secure‑message buttons ITS can embed on departmental webpages or inside the campus portal. When a visitor clicks the button they are taken to the Zivver web portal with the To field pre‑filled for a designated inbox (for example, myaccount@plattsburgh.edu). The visitor can then write a message, drag‑and‑drop documents, and hit Send Securely, no plugin or campus account required.

Why use them?

  • Give students, parents and external partners a friction‑free way to send sensitive paperwork (tax returns, medical forms, contracts) without email attachments.

  • Reduce phishing risk by hiding internal addresses; replies flow through Zivver.

  • Everything arrives encrypted in the shared Zivver inbox so the whole team can collaborate while staying compliant.

If your department would like a Conversation Starter:

  1. Contact the Helpdesk with the inbox address and desired button text (e.g., “Send Financial Aid Documents Securely”).

  2. ITS will generate the unique link and get it added to your departmental webpage for you, or an area in the MyPlattsburgh portal.

Tip: You can create multiple starters that route to the same inbox but pre‑populate different subject lines (e.g., Scholarship Docs vs SAP Appeal).

Accessibility

Zivver’s web portal and Gmail plug‑in meet WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines. Screen‑reader users can tab to the shield icon and use keyboard shortcuts.

Need help?

Scenario → Who to Contact

Technical issues installing or logging in → ITS Helpdesk – helpdesk@plattsburgh.edu • 518-564-4433

Recipient can’t open your message → Ask them to use the “Need help?” link on the Zivver portal page or call our Helpdesk

Data‑security questions → Information Security Office – infosec-auditing@plattsburgh.edu

 

 

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