How secure are IRM emails in Outlook 2007

[Will Fleenor]

A MS TechNet article named "Use Outlook 2007 to help protect messages"
states that: "The reasons to use IRM have little to do with whether an
unauthorized person outside the organization-for example, a hacker on the
Internet-will intercept the communication. Instead, IRM is used most
efficiently when the sender is concerned that the intended recipient will
share the information inappropriately."

I was under the impression that applying IRM to an outgoing email also
encrypted the message. If so, why would microsoft make the above statement?

Will Fleenor

 

[Diane Poremsky]

I believe they mean that a hacker is not likely to compromise your mail -
that its much more likely the recipient will forward it to others whom you
may not wish to share it. Basically, the majority of 'data leaks' do not
involve hackers- they involve employees and IRM will protect you against
recipients accidently or purposely forwarding email.