UPDATE: ProtonMail was forced by a Swiss court to log user IP addresses for a specific criminal complaint. If you are looking for a transparent, high-security email provider run by a team of privacy enthusiasts, Tutanota is a solid choice. To explain why Tutanota does not rely on PGP standards, Tutanota cofounder Matthias Pfau wrote this piece for Restore Privacy readers, Let PGP Die: Why We Need a New Standard for Email Encryption. Additionally, you cannot import existing emails into your encrypted Tutanota inbox. This includes no support for PGP, IMAP, POP, or SMTP. While Tutanota uses high encryption standards and is arguably one of the most secure email providers anywhere, it also comes with some tradeoffs.
Emailing another Tutanota user, which encrypts everything automatically (asymmetric encryption).For sending encrypted emails with Tutanota, you have two options: Note: Tutanota claims that their encryption can be updated/strengthened if necessary against quantum-computer attacks.Īll messages in your inbox, contacts, and calendar are encrypted at rest on servers in Germany. Its hybrid encryption system overcomes some of the drawbacks of PGP, and your privacy rights are protected by the GDPR and other pro-privacy EU regulations. Although it is not as widely known as ProtonMail, Tutanota is a serious player among secure email providers. Tutanota is a Germany-based secure email service run by a small team of privacy enthusiasts, with no outside investors or owners. Mailfence – Fully-featured secure email in Belgium
Here are the most secure email providers that protect your privacy.ġ. (Choose the best secure email service for you based on your own unique needs!) The goal of this guide is to help you find the best secure email solution for your unique needs. Threat model – How much privacy and security do you need and which service best fits those needs?.Privacy – How does the email service protect your privacy? What data is being collected, for how long, and why?.Security – What are the provider’s security standards and policies?.Features – Some features you may want to consider are contacts, calendars, file storage, inbox search, collaboration tools, and support for DAV services.Encryption – Are the emails end-to-end encrypted in transit? Are emails and attachments encrypted at rest?.Email apps – Due to encryption, many secure email services cannot be used with third-party email clients, but some also offer dedicated apps.Import feature – Can you import your existing emails and contacts?.PGP support – Some secure email providers support PGP, while others do not use PGP due to its vulnerabilities and weaknesses.Jurisdiction – Where is the service located and how does this affect user privacy? Where is your data physically stored?.Here are just a few factors to consider when switching to a secure email provider: While some may prioritize maximum security and strong encryption, others may want convenience and simplicity with user-friendly apps for all devices. With so many different types of users, there is no single “best secure email” service that will be the top choice for everyone. What is the best secure email service in 2022? On a positive note, there is a relatively simple solution for keeping your inbox more secure: switch to a secure email provider that respects your privacy. Some jurisdictions have laws to protect data privacy (Switzerland), while others have laws in place to erode it (the US and Australia). You might well be safer using a smaller, less well-known email service.Īnother concern is where your email service is located and how this may affect your data and privacy. In March, the big news was the ease with which hackers were able to compromise thousands of Microsoft Exchange email servers. While Gmail does allow users to opt out of some invasive features, the basic business model of these services revolves around data collection.īig-name email services put lots of money into security, but they are also large targets and not invulnerable. Yahoo has been caught scanning emails in real-time for US surveillance agencies.Advertisers have been allowed to scan Yahoo and AOL accounts to “identify and segment potential customers by picking up on contextual buying signals, and past purchases.”.
Are your emails and attachments safe from prying eyes?