This EPN notifies employers that from 1 April 2019, the Scheme Administrator will be using an email encryption called Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.2. The change relates to all emails to and from employer email domains. This will make email exchanges more secure in line with official government guidance.
From 1 April 2019, the Scheme Administrator will apply TLS encryption on emails to and from employer email domains. This will make email exchanges more secure in line with official government guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/set-up-government-email-services-securely https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/email-security-and-anti-spoofing
TLS is an encryption protocol used to protect data that is sent between computers. When email servers send and receive data, they agree to encrypt the information in a way they both understand. Depending on the rules in place, either server may refuse to connect if they can’t find a suitable encryption method.
As most organisations already have TLS 1.2 turned on, we anticipate that few organisations will be affected by the change. However, please check with your IT services department (or shared service provider) to ensure that this is the case to avoid potential problems. If this is likely to be a problem and you wish to continue with unencrypted emails, please inform us immediately. Please note if you choose to not use TLS encryption, you are not following official guidance. You will be knowingly sending employee data to the Scheme Administrator across the internet unencrypted.
Separate arrangements are in place for the transfer of bulk employee data, which should not be sent without additional protection.
If you have any questions or need assistance regarding TLS, please contact the Scheme Administrator’s Service Desk on 01903 760100 and select option one.
If you have a question about the distribution of EPNs contact employerpensionnotice@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
You can find electronic copies of the Employer Pension Guide, all current EPNs and forms on our website.
This notice is for employers and should not be issued to scheme members.
If members have a question about their pension, they can find information on this website or by contacting the Scheme Administrator.