What if we told you that someone could read the email you sent to Gary yesterday?
But your account is password protected, and so is his, so no one else should have access to it. That's the ideal scenario, but the reality is far from it. In this blog, we'll go through a set of questions: Are my emails private? What is encryption? And how does it work? Do we really need email encryption? What can be done about this? So, we present a deep dive into the world of email encryption!
Are my emails private?
Technically, no. But are they safe? Relatively, yes. Let's clear up any confusion. When an email is sent from one user to another, the content is unreadable. That's because the data is encrypted. A concept that we'll touch upon in the consequent section. The content is safe from a third person while being trasmitted. Thankfully, this feature is true for all major email service providers. However, what happens once the email is in the recipient's inbox? This is where there can be a problem with privacy. Most of them don't encrypt emails.
Theoretically, they have access to each and every email you have sent and received.
As a matter of fact, Gmail, which is owned by Google and has the largest user base, uses this to their advantage.
They used to scan email content to display personalized and targeted ads to users. (SOURCE) Despite having a password-protected account, your emails might not be truly private. With that established, let's get into this concept of encryption, shall we?
What is encryption, and how does it work?
Encryption is one of the strongest privacy tools on the internet. Let's explain it with an example of Puyol and Jasmine. If you've ever passed notes in your class, you might relate to it. They are exchanging handwritten messages. Puyol writes down a message and passes it to Jasmine. The teacher notices and takes the note. However, when she goes to read it, it's all gibberish. That's because Puyol and Jasmine decided to interchange a few letters.
To the teacher, this made no sense.
Had Jasmine received the note, she would have understood it.
Because she knew how to decrypt the hidden message.
This is how encryption works.
The original message is encrypted and sent.
The "gibberish" in technical terms is called the cypher text.
And the interchanged alphabets are what we call the keys.
Of course, in practical terms, it's not as simple.
Modern encryption uses advanced mathematical algorithms to scramble content.
The receiver then decrypts the message using a key or a combination of keys.
The complexity is beyond the scope of this discussion. If you would like to read about encryption and how it works, you can click right HERE. Let's talk about emails now since that's our primary focus.
Do we need email encryption?
The simple answer is yes. Let's explore the reasons why:
Privacy Well, it's an email for a reason. It's meant for communication between the parties sending and receiving it. And theoretically, no one else should have access to it. Privacy is non-negotiable when it comes to communication.
Sensitive Information For example, company emails can carry sensitive information. This could include financial statements and credentials. Or customer details that were meant to be confidential. That data being leaked or read could cause catastrophic damage to the company and/or individuals.
Compliance with regulated industries Some regulated industries have all their communications encrypted. And it's mandated by the regulators for compliance. This includes, but is not limited to the military, banks, and other critical infrastructure and industries.
We have discussed the need for email encryption, so what's a TRUE solution for it?
What can YOU do about this?
We care about your privacy as much as you do.
And it's exactly why we came up with a solution.
Our product EasyCrypt makes sure your emails are truly encrypted.
We have made it both simple and secure.
Whether you are a small-scale business or a regulated industry with strict policies.
Our product caters to everyone who values the need for privacy.
We don't have access to your email data at any point in time.
Even disaster recovery is something that our clients decide.
We firmly believe that your data should only belong to you!
And, of course, establish trust with our clients.
You'll never have to worry about your email privacy again.
We all want our email communications to be truly encrypted.
Digital safety and privacy are critical.
Always remember that your privacy is a fundamental right that you deserve.
------------------------------------------------------ Data security and privacy are taking the internet by storm. Which is why you want services you can trust. It's in your hands to choose the right solution and secure your email communications. Check us out on LinkedIn and Twitter for more cybersecurity tips! Stay SPECtacular; we'll see you the next time!