Item: Webroot Advanced Email Encryption powered by Zix
Rating: 9
Author: Jerry Robinson

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use the ZixGateway to monitor outbound email and securely encrypt on demand, or based on policy, email containing confidential or electronic Patient Health Information (ePHI) ensuring HIPAA compliant email communications. We also use the ZixOne MDM product to sandbox corporate email on mobile devices.

Pros and Cons

Widespread usage of ZixGateway in the Healthcare arena makes end to end encryption very seamless for our users.
The product is easy to use. Our users can encrypt either through the use of an Outlook add-on that puts a "Send Securely" button in Outllook for Windows. Though there is no client for those users on a Mac, or those who use OWA, they can still easily encrypt by inserting a keyword in the subject line. As a safety net, the rules that are processed at the Gateway allow for automatic encryption when end users forget.
The ZixOne product has grown in functionality over the years and now includes the ability to encrypt from the mobile device. It's become a very stable, reliable program.

The backend management of the ZixGateway could be simplified. It took a while to get the hang of how the rules interacted with one another. That having been said, once we had it tweaked out, it's been relatively hands off. Since we rely on this for HIPAA compliance, an improvement in this area would be a periodic "health" check of our appliance to ensure we've not made a rules change that has invalidated the intended use of the product.
We would have liked to seen the ZixOne MDM product allow integration of calendar items with the device's native calendar application. That was the biggest complaint of our users, that their business calendar, which contained no ePHI, was now segregated from there personal calendar forcing them manage two separate calendars.

Return on Investment

Zix products have increased comfort level that our email communications are HIPAA compliant 100%.
Before Zix, we trained our users about the importance of securing their data. We had a manual and time consuming process for securing email which often resulted in end users being tempted to bypass the process.
Zix has reduced the burden of securing email on our IT support staff as end users are now able to do this on their own with the click of a single button.

Alternatives Considered

Proofpoint Enterprise Privacy

ZixGateway was our first email encryption product. We did evaluate a couple of other MDM products when we were evaluating ZixOne. The fact that Zix was able to bundle the two products together and provide an attractive price was extremely attractive. The interoperability between ZixGateways in use throughout the healthcare arena made ZixGateway a no-brainer.

Other Software Used

Duo Security

Likelihood to Recommend

This recommendation is based on the combined rating of the ZixGateway (10) and ZixOne (8). The lowered score for ZixOne is based on my recommended improvements. ZixGateway is well suited for anyone with a need to encrypt email, manually or by rule. Due to the number of Zix clients in the Healthcare arena currently using ZixGateway, it is especially suitable due to the seamless process for the recipient. When the sender's ZixGateway is communicating with a ZixGateway at the receiver's site, the email is encrypted by the sending ZixGateway, decrypted by the receiving ZixGateway, and delivered to the recipient with no extra effort on their end. By comparison, most of the other vendors we evaluated forced their recipients to a Portal from which they could retrieve the secured email, requiring them to maintain yet another set of credentials.

Users and Roles

1600 - For the most part, Zix is used by our administrative and clinical support staff. Everything from department managers to insurance workers to clinicians exchanging patient data.

Support Headcount Required

2 - To effectively configure Zix, your staff will need a good understanding of the email flow process. A network background is helpful. All back-end management is handled by our networking staff. Client deployment is a simple IT helpdesk task.

Business Processes Supported

Protecting our patient's confidential data when transmitted via email.
Protecting the company's confidential information.

Innovative Uses

We're using Zix in the standard, out of the box method.

Future Planned Uses

At this time, we don't have any plans to expand the use of Zix.

Likelihood to Renew

In my opinion, ZixGateway is the best email encryption product on the market. Barring some unforeseen and ridiculous cost to renew, we will absolutely renew ZixGateway. The ZixOne product, though a solid product, I may not renew due to the issue of how the calendar is integrated.

Products Replaced

Evaluation Lessons Learned

Ideally, when evaluating any product of this nature, it is helpful to do a realistic proof of concept. During the POC, ensure that your participating users have a variety of roles to ensure the greatest amount of input on the product.

Implementation Rating

Understand both your email and end user workflows.

Implementation Details / Implementation Partner

Implemented in-house

Implementation Phases

Change Management Lessons

Change management was minimal - The implementation was so smooth, change management was not an issue.

Implementation Issues

While it was not significant, our biggest challenge was training our users.

Support Rating

Outstanding support every time we've called.

Webroot Advanced Email Encryption powered by Zix Customer Support Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Quick Resolution Good followup Knowledgeable team Problems get solved Kept well informed No escalation required Immediate help available Support understands my problem Support cares about my success Quick Initial Response	None

Pros	Cons
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using Familiar	None

Easy Tasks

System administration
Reporting

Difficult Tasks

None are particularly difficult.

What the Zix are you talking about?

Overall Satisfaction with Zix Email Encryption (ZixEncrypt)