Email is one of the most important tools in our daily lives. We use it to communicate with friends, family, and colleagues. It’s often used as part of our login credentials. But did you know that email is also one of the least secure communication tools? Your email messages are susceptible to interception and prying eyes. One of the greatest concerns people have these days is privacy. Are your emails private? Can you trust your email provider? That’s a good question. And it’s one of the reasons secure email services have grown over the last decade. In this article, we’ll discuss why you may want to consider a secure email service, what a secure email service actually is, how to choose one, their pros and cons, and which ones are the most popular and provide the best protection.
What are the security and privacy risks with common email services?
More and more of our lives are conducted virtually. That increases the potential for hackers (and corporations) to gain access to your private emails. In some cases your data can be used for dubious marketing purposes or worse, held hostage for ransom, or handed over to other entities upon demand. That’s why more people concerned about their data and privacy are switching to secure email services and ditching the ubiquitous Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo mail.
Despite the prevalence of these common services, your data that resides on their servers isn’t as secure as you might imagine. When you sign up for these free accounts it’s likely that you zip through the terms and conditions. The reality is, these services have fairly decent security when transferring the data contained in an email, but the main issue of privacy and risk surrounds where the data (your emails) are actually stored. Using a secure email service provider can help protect you against hacked emails or your emails being shared without permission.
How does a common email service work?
Most major email providers are not devoid of security. But, there are holes…
From computer to server
No, email providers like Gmail use Transport layer Security (TLS). This allows your email to be encrypted between your computer and the server. But this encryption, as the name suggests, is limited to in transit emails.
On your email provider’s server
Once your email hits their server, Google will encrypt the data on their network. However, Google itself has access to your email still. While their use of the contents of your emails has been reduced, they still use that contents in their algorithms for things like Smart reply. Furthermore, major email providers can give third parties access to your emails rather easily. How does that make you feel?
From your email provider’s server to the recipient’s server
OK, so your email has left your machine and traveled to the server. From there, it is forwarded to it’s destination. As long as the email provider of the recipient of your email also uses TLS, the email will be encrypted in transit. But if the email recipient’s email provider does not use TLS, well your email is not encrypted. That makes it vulnerable to interception.
On the recipient’s server
Then, once the email arrives at the server of the recipient’s email provider, it may be encrypted on the network, like it was on the Google server. This opens up access via their email provider, a possible risk to your privacy again. But, another scenario is that it could be completely unencrypted on their server because not all email providers store your emails on their servers in encrypted format.
The risks of email exposed
So there’s no way to ensure even the most basic encryption in transit on on a providers servers. Plus, an email provider still has access to your private emails even if they’re encrypted. And what if they share it? Or use it in ways you don’t approve of? This is why email security and privacy have become a hot topic in recent years. And this is why we have seen the rise of secure email services that help to reduce the threats to privacy.
What is a Secure Email Service?
Everyone desires the security of their sensitive emails and data. This is where a secure email service provider can be very useful. Secure email services provide unparalleled protection against cyberattacks, as they encrypt any information that passes through them. Though all emails can be monitored to some degree, these specialized protocols give users more control over what data is accessible through their account, ensuring personal safety online. Many secure email services come with other benefits. These can include storage compression and auto-deletion. This makes it easier for users to stay organized and protect their communication. In an ever more interconnected world, where privacy has become more and more difficult to maintain, understanding what secure email services are and why they are important can help keep cyber security on top priority.
Advantage of using a secure email service provider
For enhanced protection of your emails, the best secure email service providers utilize end-to-end encryption so that even they have no access to it. The only one able to read any encrypted messages is its recipient – and only with proper authentication. Moreover, these same companies may use the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) for verifying emails prior to delivery in order to ensure maximum security for you.
Securing your emails with SPF ensures that all external senders are authorized by you. This way, if someone attempts to send an email from non-validated IP addresses pretending to be you, the receiver will receive a notification about it and have the option to reject it.
So yes, a secure email service has several benefits over non-encrypted services. Privacy is greatly improved, anonymity can be retained, and ultimately security is enhanced.
Disadvantages of using a secure email service provider
There are some disadvantages to using to secure email service to send encrypted messages. For one, it can require a slightly more complex setup process compared to other services. It may be less convenient sending encrypted emails. For instance, third party email clients or dedicated mobile apps, may not be an option. And there could be other features available in common email services, such as those provided by Gmail or Yahoo Mail, that may also not be available. And for the best security and privacy, it is probable that you will have yo pay for the secure service. Soem have tiered subscriptions meaning that you pay more for unlimited messages. So, when considering the pros and cons of a secure email service, it is important to evaluate how important these different features, fees and convenience are for your particular requirements before taking the plunge and switching mail services.
Can I use my old email address on a new secure email provider?
One common question that arises is whether you can use your existing email if you change to a secure email service provider. Unfortunately, it most cases you will have to create a new email email address. It is likely you will ne able to simply set up email forwarding from your old email account to your new secure inbox. But, you must remember that any emails forwarded from your old address will still be passing through your old email providers’ servers and thus will not be end-to-end encrypted. There are some secure email services that offer additional support in migrating to their new platform from your old email service. Check in advance.
What to look for in a secure email service
When deciding on a secure email service, consider how it encrypts emails and how secure its storage system is. Some services use encryption to keep your emails from being read by outside parties, but storage systems can also be targeted by attackers. It is important to review the security measures of any service you are considering. Also, be aware of what email protocols they support. Do they require two-factor authentication? What type of customer service do they provide if something goes wrong? Research the list of most popular secure email services to get an idea of which one suits your particular needs. Additionally, avoid free common email services like Yahoo and Hotmail as their lack of necessary security measures can put your data at risk.
1 Physical Location
The physical location of the email server service can be important. Why? Because different countries have different privacy laws. If you wish to keep your stuff private, then you’d want to select an email service provider located in a nation with stricter privacy laws, like Swtitzerland. Other nations that have some strong privacy laws, (relatively speaking), are Germany, Norway, Sweden, Belgium and Panama.
2 Encryption
We’ve seen that there’s a difference between end-to-end encryption and transport encryption, like TLS. But End-To-End Encryption comes in two main forms: symmetrical or asymmetrical. It’s imperative to understand which type of encryption is right for your organization as each one offers different levels of security.
Symmetric encryption relies on one key shared between sender and recipient to encrypt and decrypt data. Asymmetric encryption( also known as public-key cryptography), however, involves two distinct sets of keys for secure communication. First, the recipient’s public key encrypted by the sender, is mathematically linked with a private key solely known by the recipient. This isn’t as quick or efficient as symmetric encryption. However, asymmetrical encryption does add an extra level of security that can make it valuable.
3 Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Not only should select a provider with strong encryption, but also ensure that your own credentials are safely encrypted. Adding two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security. If someone were to steal your password, they wouldn’t be able to access your accounts as that is one authentication factor. Another authentication is needed along with the password to gain access to a 2FA protected account. This typically will take the form of a single-time-use 6-digit code that is sent to your phone or an authentication app. When you enter the password plus this authentication code, access is granted. The single-time use code expires after 20-30 seconds.
4 Stripping of Metadata Headers
Emails are typically have embedded metadata. This can include information about its recipient and the sender’s computer, browser, as well as their network. However, many secure email providers strip this metadata header from emails to ensure additional privacy for both parties.
5 Open Source
With open source software, users and developers alike have the opportunity to explore its source code more closely. This practice not only allows for a more secure user experience but also provides an extra layer of assurance that no malicious coding has been inserted in the product’s framework.
6 Other Encrypted Features
Some of the most popular email services come with many added features. Gmail for example, comes with Google Drive and Google calendar. There are some secure email services that also come with features other than email encryption, that are also private and encrypted. These can include calendars and cloud storage.
7 Cross-platform usability
Moving to encrypted email should be a top priority. But that doesn’t mean the usability of your email service shouldn’t remain paramount. If you’re someone who regularly checks your emails on mobile devices, make sure to select an email provider with robust support for those types of devices. Unfortunately, not all secure providers are compatible with popular mail applications – but luckily there’s plenty of good options around!
What is the best secure email service?
If you’re looking for a convenient and secure email service, there are now several decent options to choose from. Some of the most popular include protonmail, startmail, mailfence, tutanota, thexyz, zoho mail and hushmail. Each one offers a different range of features and levels of privacy, so it’s important to consider what works best for you before committing to a particular service. Any of these popular secure email services will help you protect your online information better than common alternatives. Below you will find a review of the best secure email providers. As always though, make sure to do additional research to find the most suitable option for your needs.
The top 7 most secure email providers in 2023
There are several secure email services competing for their share of the market. The demand for their services has grown in recent years as people have realised the risks associated with more generic email services. The best secure email services include ProtonMail, Tutanota, StartMail, Posteo, CounterMail, Hushmail and Thexyz. Here is a more detailed comparison of the top 7 secure email platforms available in 2023.
Protonmail
ProtonMail is one of the most popular secure email services available today. It features end-to-end encryption so that emails stay safe from prying eyes, as well as two-factor authentication for an extra layer of security. However, it lacks in automated backup options and is limited to four domains.
Tutanota
Tutanota also offers end-to-end encryption making it one of the most secure email providers around. It also promises “zero access” meaning that its servers won’t even have access to your emails. While this makes for great security, users are limited to a maximum inbox size of 1GB.
StartMail
StartMail offers numerous features designed for keeping emails safe from unauthorized access including two-factor authentication and encrypted storage backups. Furthermore its servers operate out of Europe ensuring GDPR compliance but it’s more expensive than other options at $60/year per user with no monthly plans available.
Posteo
Posteo is another top secure email provider that offers end-to-end encryption for emails stored on its servers. On top of this Posteo allows users to pay using Bitcoin or cash payment which provides an extra level of anonymity but at the cost of additional setup time and effort required compared to credit card payments.
Countermail
CounterMail is geared toward those looking for extreme online privacy with its diskless server system. This means all user data is encrypted and stored on their flash drive instead of a hard drive like other services offer. Unfortunately, CounterMail suffers from slow loading times due to its diskless system. It also has some usability issues with setting up accounts and 2FA authentication processes . This can make difficult for new users just starting out with email security software solutions.
Hushmail
Hushmail also provides end-to-end encryption along with two factor authentication. However they only offer aliases (temporary mail addresses) rather than offering traditional email accounts. This makes them not quite as powerful when compared head-to-head with other providers mentioned previously in this list
TheXYZ
Thexyz stands out with their focus on providing powerful anti spam measures alongside their secure mail service meaning fewer unwanted emails clogging up your inbox alongside military grade 256bit AES encryption for keeping your emails private from unwanted eyes or customers seeking information about you through legal channels such as law enforcement agencies or judiciary orders..
What is the most secure FREE email service?
As with anything, the best features are saved for paid services. So, free secure email services come with limitations. Not all offer free options or even free trials. There are two that stand out as a freebie. The first is is the free version of Protonmail. That’s because it offers 1GB of storage and up to 150 messages a day. Tutonota is very similar as it offers a free email address on their tutonata domain and 1 GB of storage space.
The price of some of the paid services isn’t too exorbitant, especially given the peace of mind you receive. So, make sure you look at the offers and potential savings with annual subscriptions.
How to improve security and privacy when using popular email providers
Using encrypted email services is an improvement over the generic email providers we have been used to. In particular, your level of privacy is increased, for sure, as your data remains yours regardless of where it resides. But, there are ways to help improve your security and privacy when using the standard free email services like Gmail, yahoo Mail and Outlook.
It’s a refrain repeated often on this site. If you want to improve your digital security and maintain privacy, you’ll need to consider using the triad of weapons.
(1) a Virtual Private Network (VPN),
(2) a reliable password manager, even a trustworthy free password manager
(3) anti-virus software and
(4) a secure backup solution.
When used together, your defense against malware and prying eyes is exponentially strengthened . But of even greater priority is using common sense and following some simple rules to maintain your security.
The Final Score: Should you consider a secure email service?
For sure, encrypted email services offer a major jump in privacy with their end to end encryption and other features. So, even though your information resides on a server out in cyberspace, no one can access and make sense of it. That is the major difference to the common email providers like Gmail, yahoo and Outlook. These popular services store your emails on their servers. And those emails are unsecured. This makes them vulnerable to hacking or being used for marketing purposes. They also run the risk of being handed over to entities you’d rather not have access to them.
To get the most out of a secure email service like ProtonMail, HushMail, CounterMail or theXYZ, you will have to pay a monthly / annual fee. And some of the features you may be used to with your current, free email provider may not be an option. But, this is where the rub is: convenience vs privacy. Do your research, weigh up the benefits and risks. And as always, be smart and stay safe!