Don't use gmail, yahoo, and hotmail for sensitive correspondence, Noobs!

[Dinitro]

This just HAS to be said periodically, since newbies by the dozen don't seem to consider basic personal safety issues online. If you're writing something sensitive to, let's say, your grandma and you know that it might cause some damage if certain outside entities could read your sweet correspondence, then don't !@$^#ING USE GMAIL!

(Or yahoo, or hotmail, or aol, or your .edu accounts).
SERIOUSLY! Why is this not obvious?

Gmail's most salient feature is that Google BRAGS that they won't ever delete your past correspondence, AND they have computerized message readers that scan everything in your account with an "auto-reader," AND it's not encrypted, nor offshore, nor secure, nor kept away from the eyes of the authorities who run poor Grandma's nursing home.

Google: Why do we let this creepy company spy on our emails? | Mail Online

Even worse is when Grandma gets an email from her loving family members that's "sent from my Verizon iPhone" or something, which is like waving a banner that says, "Hey everyone--come read my private emails with ease!"

If you want your letters to Grandma to be safe and secure, take the most basic step of finding an encrypted, offshore private account and using a proxy to access it. Otherwise, you might find "weird uncle Bob" showing up at your door for an unexpected family reunion because he's been reading your emails without you knowing it. Sheesh.

:banghead:

 

[Kaladryn]

All email is forever.

 

[kinglewy]

Good info, didn't know that, I just recently learned how to use one of these things(computers), still learning. What about safe-mail.net is that one atleast semi-safe?

 

[brutus69]

here's the truth. the NSA will not allow any encryption method to be sold or used that they cannot break. absolute truth. so try as you all might, if the feds want to, they can read every single email sent using every single account.

 

[mature muscle]

here's the truth. the NSA will not allow any encryption method to be sold or used that they cannot break. absolute truth. so try as you all might, if the feds want to, they can read every single email sent using every single account.

no e-mail is completely secure.

 

[SAGE74]

If LE want's you they will get you! Noob or not it's the chance we all take, no matter what e-mail we use.

 

[SPRINGWATER]

Thread backfire somewhat. What the message to take away should be is that the email services the OP are easier for the government to get their hands on than others.

Unless you are moving serious weight, IMHO, the email service you use is irrelevant.

 

[SPRINGWATER]

here's the truth. the NSA will not allow any encryption method to be sold or used that they cannot break. absolute truth. so try as you all might, if the feds want to, they can read every single email sent using every single account.

I don't see how that could be the truth as the NSA has zero jurisdiction over non USA companies.

 

[tri-terror]

I don't see how that could be the truth as the NSA has zero jurisdiction over non USA companies.

Lol, and the CIA doesnt operate whitin the US either...
whatever helps you sleep at night

 

[Rory33]

still believe encrypted IMs are always safest.....

 

[phatrr]

Sure, use hushmail. It's safe, lol.

 

[robertfhub]

Pgp encryption is secure always.

 

[discohornet]

I don't think there's any real safe method, although there are probably better choices over others.

The trouble is we have two parties involved. The ideal situation would involved key access known by both parties. What good would it do me to use this level of encryption if the person I am writing to doesn't have access to this code?

I think the best possible scenario is to have a server of your own, sending your own email, and using a proxy to do it, all the while having the message encrypted. But what do you tell the person who you are trying to contact, in order for them to have access, without then also giving away that access key in the email?

 

[HenryHill1]

WHat is a good email provider for this?

 

[Rory33]

cases have been charged even with pgp. doesnt matter if its encrypted if one side gets popped the authorities have access to the key and your encrypted email. You dont know how much is saved on the other end. Some IM services do not save any info and automatically deletes it. I wrote a thread about this before.

 

[Flex2019]

My feeling is that, for most casual users ordering for just personal use, the large gmail/yahoo/etc email accounts are the smartest way to go, besides using a pay service like Securenym. There are millions of emails flowing through these systems each day and it would be impossible to go after everybody that a system "flags" due to inappropriate content. Best to blend in with everybody else.

 

[Rory33]

My feeling is that, for most casual users ordering for just personal use, the large gmail/yahoo/etc email accounts are the smartest way to go, besides using a pay service like Securenym. There are millions of emails flowing through these systems each day and it would be impossible to go after everybody that a system "flags" due to inappropriate content. Best to blend in with everybody else.

You all still need to understand that securenym is NOT secure.... i posted and showed screenshots why..... :banghead:

 

[Flex2019]

You all still need to understand that securenym is NOT secure.... i posted and showed screenshots why..... :banghead:

That's fine, and I don't use Securenym. The fact is, VERY FEW systems are secure enough to keep you completely anonymous. Better off to take your chances and send your messages out into the same system as MILLIONS of others. Now if you are ordering huge amounts and are a distributor, I might change my opinion.

 

[Tinyshrek]

HERE IS A SUPRISE, coming from a military guy wit a clearance and has been investigated. ALL EMAIL REGARDLESS OF TYPE IS, WILL AND CAN BE SEEN. So whatever u do save ur money and don't pay for some stupid extra secret account, PATRIOT ACT is a mother fucker. So PM's and ANY type of email or purchasing is at ur own risk cuz ain't nothing safe, PERIOD

 

[thumper08]

HERE IS A SUPRISE, coming from a military guy wit a clearance and has been investigated. ALL EMAIL REGARDLESS OF TYPE IS, WILL AND CAN BE SEEN. So whatever u do save ur money and don't pay for some stupid extra secret account, PATRIOT ACT is a mother fucker. So PM's and ANY type of email or purchasing is at ur own risk cuz ain't nothing safe, PERIOD

It's fairly easy to get past firewalls...I watched a guy hack a safe mail account in less than 15 min. Guy was a computer geek for sure but def wasn't using gov't. grade electronics...