https://www.ghostmail.com
FAQ
General
Why the name GhostMail?
Beside the fact that we offer much more than "just" encrypted email, we chose our name because we think it’s cool and it fits our service of being something very extraordinary. All though we don’t believe in real ghosts, we believe in real privacy and the human right to free and secure communication.
Secure GhostMail vs. other free email providers?
In short, GhostMail is not hijacked, like most other free and paid online service providers. GhostMail offers a significantly more secure, anonymous and private encrypted environment, where files and data are permanently deleted. GhostMail is owned by an independent and non-American company, which does not gather and capitalize on any user behavior, data or preferences. Nor are we selling ads or monitoring your online whereabouts, we are simply not interested in your identity or other personal details. By using GhostMail you are protecting yourself and limiting the risk of a range of E-crimes, mass surveillance and intimidating marketing schemes.
How do I start using GhostMail?
It is easy and free. You can sign-up in less than 1 minute. No programs or plug-ins to download at all. Don't forget to invite your friends and business contacts.
How concerned should I be about protecting my communication?
It's so easy to intercept digital communications that even teenagers can do it. Corporate and government espionage, identity theft, extortion, publishing of your personal pictures, unsecure social communities and email providers – most organizations collect your personal data and use them for making money. These are just a few of the risks you face when you’re your communication using conventional emails, which literally are open to anyone who cares to join in. Big brother is watching you for real.
Does the person I wish to communicate with also need to be a GhostMail user?
Yes. GhostMail is based on a highly secure end-to-end encryption solution, so GhostMail must be present on both sides of the communication. This is one of the core elements of our service, which make GhostMail extremely safe and unique, combined with heavy encryption algorithms etc. Meanwhile, a GhostMail user can send outbound emails to 'normal' email accounts like i.e. Gmail. However, attachments are not supported due to security reasons. We always advise both parties to use GhostMail for optimal security and privacy.
It is very easy to invite friends to sign-up for free and start enjoying the advantages of GhostMail secures communication.
What is encrypted Chat?
Our "GhostChat" is a real time chat feature that enables you to chat with your GhostMail contacts. It's fun, quick and instant.
What is encrypted cloud storage (GhostBox)?
GhostBox is 1 GB of free encrypted cloud storage, built into your back office. It’s easy to use, drag and drop, share files and folders. Probably the safest place on the Internet to store, manage and share your data securely with friends and business contacts. What happens in GhostBox stays in GhostBox.
What is encryption?
The word encryption comes from the Greek word kryptos, meaning "hidden" or "secret". Encryption is a way to maximize the security of i.e. an email message or file by, scrambling the contents.
Imagine you are passing a secret note from the back row of a cinema to your friend who sits in the front row. You pass it on and hope no one between you and your friend decides to open your secret note and read the message. This is similar to how non-encrypted information travels on the Internet.
Now imagine placing your note in a heavily secured locked case, that only you and your friend have keys for, and passing this case to your friend. No one can open the case and read your secret note - except you and your friend. Encryption is the online equivalent of a locked case - and only your computer has the keys.
What kind of encryption does GhostMail use?
We use a custom-made proprietary end-to-end encryption system, which contains many complex algorithms and components to keep our users as safe and private as possible. Among others we use 256-bit AES encryption and RSA 2048-bit key cryptography.
How private am I – really?
Your communications are secured with military-grade encryption. Only you (and the recipients you wish to communicate with) can read it. Once it’s deleted it’s gone forever. Furthermore our servers are hosted in one of the world’s most secure and private datacenters. So you are pretty private.
GhostMail doesn’t:
We don’t steal and upload all your contacts and other personal info from your computer
We don’t know anything about you, your online habits or your friend’s online habits
We don’t read your mails etc. (it’s impossible)
We don’t store your IP address
We don’t store your plain password or encryption keys at our servers
We don’t sell any information to others
We don’t have a so-called back door
We don’t care about your whereabouts, profile or anything else (no offense)
Do you keep log files?
No. We have no interest in your data. Only minimal logs are kept for the purpose of making the communication possible in the first place. None of them contains any stuff we can actually read or “spy” on – nor can anybody else.
Do you disclose information to third parties?
No. We have a zero disclosure policy. Please check out or Terms & Privacy page for more info.
Where are your servers located?
Our servers are located in one of the most secure data centers in the World, 30 meter below bedrock in a Swedish nuclear underground bunker. For anonymous notifications and unencrypted outbound emails we use an external service, based in the US. When a GhostMail user is writing to an unencrypted external email address they get a security warning while composing, due to the fact that it will be exiting the end-to-end encryption model. We do not recommend sending to unsecured email providers if you value your privacy.
Does GhostMail guarantee 100% security?
No. There isn't such a thing. Any company or organization that promises this, is not telling the truth. GhostMail creates a significantly more secure, anonymous and private encrypted environment, where files and data are permanently deleted with extreme frequency. The hard and honest truth is, that there is still a fraction of a risk – as with most things regarding technology and human beings. But what we promise our users is, that we always keep GhostMail as safe as possible. At any point in time and we strive to be the most secure communication platform ever available to the public.
Do you use Cookies?
We use a time limited and encrypted session cookie on this website. No persistent cookies or third-party cookies such as Google Analytics are ever enabled on this website. Once the session ends the session cookie is deleted. A session ends immediately when the browser or the browser window is closed, after 15 minutes of inactivity or when the logout button is clicked.
How do you make money?
Good question! We are owned and funded by some very nice (and wealthy) people, who also believe in the human right of privacy and not being spied on. As of now, our services are free and we will always maintain a free version. We do plan to introduce some really cool extra features soon, which is worth paying a small subscription for - and hopefully we then can have our salaries and costs reimbursed one fine day!
Using GhostMail
Why do I not receive some of my incoming emails?
Probably because they are sent from a 3rd party unsecure email provider (i.e. Gmail, Hotmail etc.) and these are not allowed into our servers. GhostMail is an end-to-end service, meaning that in order to maximise your security, both the sender and receiver has to use GhostMail.
Can I use IMAP/SMTP (external email client i.e. Thunderbird)?
GhostMail is built to offer our users the best privacy and security. Hence we don't allow usage of IMAP/SMTP etc. as emails then will be vulnerable in case your computer or smartphone gets compromised.
It seems like I am logged in, but I still can’t access?
You are mot probably logged in on multiple browsers/tabs. Try to log out of all tabs and restart your browser then you should be good to go.
Can I change my username?
No. Your username is your GhostMail address and cannot be changed. If you ever forget it - you need to register a new account.
Can I change or reset my password?
Yes, but only if you know the old one, as we don’t have access to any passwords at all. The update happens directly in your browser. If you forget the password, we don't have the ability to recover it for you. Please always use long and complicated passwords.
Can I get a new password if I forget it?
No. We don’t store any data for security reasons and hence we can’t give you something we don’t have.
How does email auto-destruct work?
GhostMail allows you as the sender, to be in charge of your privacy. When you send an email you can choose if your email shall auto-destruct or not. If you choose to use auto-destruct, simply set the destruction time (i.e. 1 hour) and your email will be deleted 1 hour after it is read. And it will be gone forever. We recommend to always using auto-destruct, when sending sensitive and highly private emails containing for example: Personal photos and ID information, business emails, legal documents, passport copies, medical and health information, information regarding children etc.
Can I get an alert when I have a new email?
Yes. Go into your settings and add your alternative email. Hereafter you will get an discreet notification on this email every time you have a new GhostMail.
Which browser do you recommend?
For best performance and enhanced security, we recommend Chrome, Firefox and Opera. It is important, that you always use the newest and recently updated version of your browser.
What is two-factor authentication?
Two-factor authentication is an optional but recommended feature, which adds an extra layer of security and drastically enhances the security of your account. You might be familiar with two-step verification already i.e. from your online banking services where you are receiving an extra code in order to gain access.
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