Comments on: Is Email Secure? http://www.pcmech.com/article/is-email-secure/ Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:07:33 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Rich Menga http://www.pcmech.com/article/is-email-secure/comment-page-1/#comment-24393 Rich Menga Tue, 12 May 2009 23:52:27 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/article/is-email-secure/#comment-24393 This: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/marketplace/EY010504841033.aspx This: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/marketplace/EY010504841033.aspx

]]> By: MartYn http://www.pcmech.com/article/is-email-secure/comment-page-1/#comment-24391 MartYn Tue, 12 May 2009 22:58:17 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/article/is-email-secure/#comment-24391 What does "Clicking "Get Digital ID" brings you to Microsoft Offline Online" mean? What does “Clicking “Get Digital ID” brings you to Microsoft Offline Online” mean?

]]> By: Rich Menga http://www.pcmech.com/article/is-email-secure/comment-page-1/#comment-24378 Rich Menga Tue, 12 May 2009 17:15:29 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/article/is-email-secure/#comment-24378 The WinPT method, while not exactly elegant (grin), does at least overcome being strapped to a client or a particular mail service. Good call. The WinPT method, while not exactly elegant (grin), does at least overcome being strapped to a client or a particular mail service. Good call.

]]> By: Doctor Gonzo http://www.pcmech.com/article/is-email-secure/comment-page-1/#comment-24369 Doctor Gonzo Tue, 12 May 2009 13:36:25 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/article/is-email-secure/#comment-24369 I've used Enigmail with Thunderbird, but since I don't use an email client anymore that option is no longer available. However, there is a solution: a combination of GnuPG and Windows Privacy Tray (WinPT). With this combo, you can copy your email text to the clipboard, then encrypt/sign it by just clicking on an icon in the system tray (or using hotkeys). It's not as hassle-free as Enigmail, but it's still pretty easy to use. I’ve used Enigmail with Thunderbird, but since I don’t use an email client anymore that option is no longer available. However, there is a solution: a combination of GnuPG and Windows Privacy Tray (WinPT). With this combo, you can copy your email text to the clipboard, then encrypt/sign it by just clicking on an icon in the system tray (or using hotkeys). It’s not as hassle-free as Enigmail, but it’s still pretty easy to use.

]]> By: SAP http://www.pcmech.com/article/is-email-secure/comment-page-1/#comment-24367 SAP Tue, 12 May 2009 12:50:22 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/article/is-email-secure/#comment-24367 Traceroute shows the path taken by ICMP packets from source to target host. This is unlikely to be exactly the same as the route taken by mail, which is sent using a store and forward mechanism. Each mail server is supposed to add a header showing when it received the e-mail and where it sent it; these can be seen by looking at the raw mail message. I think you would need to use a traceroute for each segment of the chain in order to see all the servers that the mail travelled through, but even that will not be 100% accurate as the routing changes dynamically. Also, digital signatures do not prevent e-mail contents from being read, they only provide some assurance that the e-mail contents has not been altered. This assumes that the recipient is able to check the signed e-mail against the sender's key, and that the recipient can independently establish the validity of the sender's key. Traceroute shows the path taken by ICMP packets from source to target host.

This is unlikely to be exactly the same as the route taken by mail, which is sent using a store and forward mechanism. Each mail server is supposed to add a header showing when it received the e-mail and where it sent it; these can be seen by looking at the raw mail message.

I think you would need to use a traceroute for each segment of the chain in order to see all the servers that the mail travelled through, but even that will not be 100% accurate as the routing changes dynamically.

Also, digital signatures do not prevent e-mail contents from being read, they only provide some assurance that the e-mail contents has not been altered. This assumes that the recipient is able to check the signed e-mail against the sender’s key, and that the recipient can independently establish the validity of the sender’s key.

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