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Password-Protected Emails

Alex Panagides
Updated

Some emails protected by mxHERO need a password before you can open the files or the message. The password always arrives in a separate email, so that someone who sees one email can't open the content. This page explains the three kinds of protected email you may receive and how to open each one.

The password email

When content is password-protected, you receive two emails:

  1. The main email, with links to the files, a secure message, or a ZIP file.
  2. A password email, sent at about the same time. Its subject usually starts with [Password Notification], and it says something like "Use the passphrase below to access the secure links recently sent to you."

The password email comes from the original sender's address, or from noreply@mxhero.com. The wording can differ, because each organization can customize it.

Important: Copy the password exactly. Passwords are generated automatically and can mix upper- and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Avoid copying an extra space at the start or end.

The email has links to files (and sometimes an attachments.pdf file listing them).

  1. Click a file link.
  2. When asked "Enter the password for this resource", paste the password from the password email.
  3. The file opens. Download it if you need a copy.

If the link opens a Box or Dropbox page instead, enter the password in the password field on that page.

See Opening Protected Attachments for more about file links.

Type 2: Secure email (the message itself is protected)

The email body doesn't show the message. Instead, it tells you a secure message is waiting and gives you a link. The message text is provided as a PDF, together with any attachments.

  1. Click the link in the email.
  2. If asked, enter the password from the password email, or sign in with the email address the message was sent to.
  3. Open the message PDF and any attachments.

Type 3: Password-protected ZIP file

The email has one attachment named attachments.zip (or a link to it). The original files are inside, locked with a password.

  1. Save attachments.zip to your computer.
  2. Open it:
    • Windows: double-click the file, then open a file inside. Windows asks for the password.
    • Mac: double-click the file. macOS asks for the password before it extracts the files.
  3. Enter the password from the password email.

If your computer can't open it, try another ZIP tool such as 7-Zip.

If you send email

Your organization may let you protect an email yourself by adding a keyword (a "hashtag") to the subject line. mxHERO removes the keyword before the email is delivered. These work only if your IT team has set them up, so ask them first.

Add to the subject What it does
#secure Sends the message as a secure email
#pass or #password Adds a password to the file links
#zip Puts the attachments in a password-protected ZIP
#nomxhero Sends this email without mxHERO link protection, if your organization allows it

Your organization decides who receives the password email: the recipients, you, or both.

Troubleshooting

Problem What to do
No password email Check your junk or spam folder. Search for [Password Notification] or the sender's name. Allow a few minutes. Then ask the sender to resend.
"Invalid password" Paste the password again without spaces before or after it. Make sure you use the password email that arrived with this message, not an older one.
More than one password email Each message (or each file link) can have its own password. Match the password email to the message by time and sender.
ZIP won't open, even with the right password Use another ZIP tool such as 7-Zip. Make sure you saved the file before opening it.
The link says "The file does not exist or has expired" The link expired. Ask the sender to send it again.

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