14 votes

My take on email

10 comments

  1. [4]
    vord
    Link
    Solid points overall, but I think the fundemental flaw with email is that it is 100% insecure by default and has little way to make it secure for a layperson. Email has been used as a replacement...

    Solid points overall, but I think the fundemental flaw with email is that it is 100% insecure by default and has little way to make it secure for a layperson.

    Email has been used as a replacement for physical mail for most things. But physical mail is, due to its very nature, E2E encrypted... there's even stringent laws enforcing that (felony to open someone else's mail). Since email is the defacto replacement, its insecurity is a massive problem because people assume that it is secure.

    9 votes
    1. TheRtRevKaiser
      Link Parent
      Just because it's illegal to open someone else's mail doesn't mean it's encrypted. It's just illegal.

      But physical mail is, due to its very nature, E2E encrypted...

      Just because it's illegal to open someone else's mail doesn't mean it's encrypted. It's just illegal.

      9 votes
    2. [2]
      Overzeetop
      Link Parent
      I would tend to agree, but the flaw is rarely a concern. Nearly all secure communication is now handled through side channels - such as secure messaging for financial accounts. In that case, email...

      I would tend to agree, but the flaw is rarely a concern. Nearly all secure communication is now handled through side channels - such as secure messaging for financial accounts. In that case, email has become a notification channel, or aggregator, rather than a direct communication medium. In this way it is very similar to snailmail - anyone seeing your mail can see the return address; the email is just a wrapper for a secure channel.

      1. vord
        Link Parent
        Counterpoint: Every leaked email scandal ever. Communication should be secure, regardless of content. Even relatively innocuous notifications can have sensitive data.

        Counterpoint: Every leaked email scandal ever.

        Communication should be secure, regardless of content.

        Even relatively innocuous notifications can have sensitive data.

  2. [2]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. freddy
      Link Parent
      Thanks, really appreciate it!

      Thanks, really appreciate it!

      2 votes
  3. [3]
    Ayax28
    Link
    Lovely commentary. Though I have some questions regarding the site which you used, like How did you do it? I know Privacytools.io, yet I have never found this site.

    Lovely commentary.

    Though I have some questions regarding the site which you used, like
    How did you do it?

    I know Privacytools.io, yet I have never found this site.

    3 votes
  4. [2]
    MonkeyPants
    Link
    whether not wether.

    whether not wether.

    2 votes
    1. freddy
      Link Parent
      Thanks, need to do a better job at proof reading next time.

      Thanks, need to do a better job at proof reading next time.

      2 votes