Many, if not most, email software employs no security at all. Yahoo is a poor choice, they only encrypt the login page.īut email is also available using dedicated email software (Outlook, Thunderbird, Outlook Express, etc.) rather than webmail. Gmail is a great choice as Google encrypts all web pages, not just the login page. Without a VPN, email sent over a public Wi-Fi network can still be encrypted using webmail with secure HTTPS web pages. For more on this see my article?”Being Secure on Public Wi-Fi: VPN, Firewalls, File Sharing.” On a public Wi-Fi network, a VPN can be employed to also encrypt all data coming and going. And, WPA and WPA2 encryption apply to any and all data traveling over the air, not just email.? For more on this, see my September 2009 article? “ The ? Best Security for Wireless Networks.” WPA-TKIP and WPA2-AES are reasonably secure as long as you chose a long password that’s not in the dictionary. WiFi over a router that you control is easily encrypted. Starting with the basics, wireless email may be sent over Wi-Fi or a data network from a cellphone company. Just how protected is your wireless email from spying?
Obviously, a heads up for anyone that sends email wirelessly. The article also notes that “… security experts say that many governments around the world enjoy the ability to monitor BlackBerry conversations as they do communications involving most types of mobile devices.” authorities are able to tap into BlackBerry messages. Interestingly, there are no stories of the US government threatening to shut down BlackBerry service because they couldn’t read the email.
Not being able to hack into BlackBerry email almost got the devices banned in a number of countries. To me, the important lesson derived from the recent dust-up between the United Arab Emirates, India, Saudi Arabia and RIM, the company behind the BlackBerry, is that governments can spy on almost all wireless email.Īnd, they get annoyed when they can’t.