Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/11/20/startmail-privatizes-your-email-with-a-level-of-security-you-might-not-have-known-you-needed.html
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Technically, if the mail is end-to-end encrypted, the encryption of the vault adds nothing, as each email is already encrypted individually. Also the a recipient must run a special client to see the email for end-to-end encryption to be possible.
Spam filtering would also meet to take place in the client, and can’t use information about emails received in other accounts, so it would probably be less effective.
Here’s an exhaustive article on how to encrypt your emails for free on all major platforms:
It also contains this bit of advice:
Many apps and email services out there promise email encryption but don’t use S/MIME or PGP/MIME. These are indeed much easier and faster to set up, but be aware that they roll their own encryption and may not strive for the same privacy standards.
No idea if Startmail falls into that category.
Here’s a review that lists alternatives:
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Hmmm…
/ˈprīvəˌtīz/
verb
transfer (a business, industry, or service) from public to private ownership and control.
Yeah, I think I’m going to take a pass on that… Makes it seem like someone’s going to seize my emails rather than make them mine. I think the nuance doesn’t quite go the way the author thinks it does b:-/
2 Likes
While many free services like Gmail do have some security protections, all it takes is a weak password or clicking on a phishing link to expose all of your emails and contacts.
Seems to be missing the point. If you are using Gmail, then you are exposing all your emails and contacts to Google. By contrast, StartMail (and alternatives like ProtonMail) have designed their systems in a way that ensures they cannot read your emails.
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