Answer for: What are the most important features in an email service?
#11 Secure mail access.
I would strongly advise offering reliable SSL for POP3, IMAP and SMTP. Even though most e-mail goes in the clear it would be useful to lead the pack with the ability to securely send and receive e-mail. In addition offer the ability to have your servers do SSL SMTP between e-mail servers.
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Great answer.
We certainly advise using secure pop, imap and smtp. It's just a checkbox in your mail client, and available on mail.modwest.com
If I'm not mistaken server->server SMTP connections can be done with TLS on port 25. But I'm no expert there.
If you really want secure email, as in, *nobody can read it but the intended recipient*, I think you have to install something like Enigmail & GPG/PGP.
Or, Firefox's "fireGPG"+Gmail maybe? Anyone have exerience with this?
The FAQ of this closed loop provider makes interesting reading. https://www.keptprivate.com/faq.php
Is email still email if it never leaves the server? That's what "closed loop" seems to mean. It's definitely secure, but it doesn't seem like a very practical way to secure one's normal email. Sort of like staying in your house 24/7 is not a very practical way to avoid getting hit by a car.
:)
Many people on the same server can communicate via mail without leaving the server so yes, it doesn't need to leave the server to qualify as mail.
In a closed loop system an email is sent out to notify the recipient that a secure communication awaits.
As for staying in your house to avoid being hit by a car, it may not be practical, but it is effective :)
I would love modwest to provide such a facility.
mblaue & squiggle
I love your analogies, and just couldn't help myself.
I in fact witnessed several years ago a car driving right through the livingroom window of a house. Right here in little ole Missoula. Just missed hitting occupants.
There are no guarantees in life or email :-)
Those people must have really secure email :)