What is PPAP?

"PPAP" is an abbreviation that represents a security measure for sending and receiving files by e-mail that has been practiced by the government and many Japanese companies since around 2011. The countermeasure procedure is to compress the file in Zip format, encrypt it, add a password, attach it to an email, send it, and send the password in a separate email.
It is based on the concept of preventing file viewing by malicious third parties.

However, problems continue to be pointed out, such as this countermeasure, in fact, not having the expected effect as a security countermeasure, and instead becoming a security risk. To raise awareness of the dangers of this problematic security measure, information technology experts mocked it by calling it "PPAP," citing what was popular at the time. PPAP is an acronym for the following words that briefly describe this measure:

Problems with PPAP

PPAP's problems have long been pointed out by many IT-related experts as follows, and recently they have come to be widely recognized by the decision of the Cabinet Office.

Problems with PPAP

• Email eavesdropping risk
  Since the password transmission route is the same, there is a possibility of eavesdropping.
• can't check virus
  Virus checking may not work for Zip files with passwords.
• (3) Reduced productivity on the recipient side
  Recipients will have to unzip the Zip file each time.

It is expected that many companies will consider abolishing PPAP in the future in accordance with the government's decision. However, it must be avoided to abolish it so easily that it becomes impossible to take effective security measures afterwards. It is necessary to correctly understand what is the problem with PPAP and to fully consider how to solve or complement the problem.

PPAP alternative solution by linking Mail2Cloud and Box

By linking Mail2Cloud and content cloud Box, it is possible to implement security measures for sending and receiving emails.

When sending an email, the sender can attach a file to the email and send it, and the attached file will be automatically uploaded to Box. Email recipients will receive a Box shared link in the email body instead of an attached file, and they can check the file simply by clicking on the link.

The email sender can check file changes and access records even after sending, and can remove the shared link from Box if the wrong file is sent. Various rules can be set according to the operation of the company, such as specifying the folder to store each recipient, changing the security settings of the shared link, etc.

Also, when receiving, it is possible to store the attached file received by the company in Box and send the shared link to the recipient (user of the company). Since Box can be viewed in preview, users do not need to download files to their local PCs to check them, reducing the risk of malware infection. In addition, since Box is multi-device compatible, you can access files device-free.

Furthermore, by moving attachments to Box, you can reduce the storage size of your Box, so you can expect a reduction in storage usage costs.

PPAP alternative solution by linking Mail2Cloud and Box (when sending)

Advantages of introducing Mail2Cloud and Box when sending

• E-mail security (PPAP countermeasures) can be realized without changing user usability
  When you send an attached file, the virus-scanned file is stored in Box and a shared link (URL) is automatically issued. In addition, mxHero automatically enforces security settings for Box's shared links without user intervention.
• Improved convenience for recipients
  It is no longer necessary to open a conventional Zipped file with a password, and you can view the file simply by clicking the shared link (URL).
• File management after sending
  Even after sending the file, you can change the file and manage the access history. Also, if you send the wrong file, you can remove the shared link from Box and deal with it.
• Diverse rule settings
  Various rules can be set according to the operation of the company, such as specifying the folder to store each recipient, changing the security settings of the shared link, etc.

PPAP alternative solution by linking Mail2Cloud and Box (when receiving)

Advantages of introducing Mail2Cloud and Box when receiving

• Ensuring security for attachments received by the company
  Users do not need to download content because they view it in preview, which reduces the risk of malware infection.
• Can be used without specifying tools to business partners
  Even if a business partner (sender) sends content using the conventional method, Box automatically aggregates the content received by the company.
• Realization of in-house work style reform
  Device-free access to files is possible using the preview function.
• Reduce costs
  Move attachments to Box and reduce your Box storage usage by up to 90%, saving money.

Box centrally manages information assets in Box

E-mail texts and attached files stored in Box are also important corporate information assets. By storing it in Box, which is good at content management, it becomes possible to centrally manage it with Box, even if it is combined with PPAP-free attachments.

Advantages of storing in Box

• Mail server capacity reduction
  By saving past e-mail histories in Box, an unlimited capacity service, it is possible to reduce the capacity of the e-mail server side.
• Easier to audit past email exchanges
  Past email exchanges can also be managed in Box as information assets. Metadata is automatically assigned, so searches can be performed easily.

next generation email security

We will propose next-generation email security by linking Mail2Cloud and Box.