[OT] s/mime / mail encryption

[OT] s/mime / mail encryption

[Marcelo de Moraes Serpa]

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A bit off topic but related I think...

I've started using gpg to encrypt org-mode entries and it's amazing. I then
started to realize that I wasn't paying enough attention to security of my
own sensitive data. Scan of documents spread around without encryption
(also looking for a pragmatic way to encrypt whole files in OSX) and
specially email of sensitive data and documents.

I've then found out about S/MIME? I don't see it as widespread, I only
found geeky tutorials (some are quite comprehesive) but nothing really
mainstream. I also found a bit of material talking about encryption of
emails with gpg.

Do you guys ever encrypt your emails? I must say I never did, but it
doesn't sound bad for sensitive data, and if you have a business and or
need to deal with services that require your business or personal documents
(or any other sensitive data for that matter) I think that it could be a
good choice.

What do you think?

- Marcelo.

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Re: [OT] s/mime / mail encryption

[Eric S Fraga]

Marcelo de Moraes Serpa <celoserpa@gmail.com> writes:

> A bit off topic but related I think...

[...]

> Do you guys ever encrypt your emails? I must say I never did, but it
> doesn't sound bad for sensitive data, and if you have a business and or
> need to deal with services that require your business or personal documents
> (or any other sensitive data for that matter) I think that it could be a
> good choice.
>
> What do you think?
>
> - Marcelo.

I do, at times, encrypt my emails but not often.  

There are two problems with greater uptake: a chicken and egg scenario
in that there is insufficient critical mass (too few people even knowing
what it means to encrypt email) and ease of use especially given the
prevalence of the web based mail systems (yahoo, gmail, hotmail, etc.).

On some of the geekier lists, especially USENET groups, you will at
least see a significant number of people at least digitally signing
their emails.  Getting people to do this would be a good first step
towards wider adoption of encryption.

I am constantly reminding people that sending emails is more similar to
sending postcards than letters...

-- 
: Eric S Fraga (GnuPG: 0xC89193D8FFFCF67D) in Emacs 24.0.90.1
: using Org-mode version 7.7 (release_7.7.508.ga081)

Re: [OT] s/mime / mail encryption

[Marcelo de Moraes Serpa]

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Thank you for sharing your experiences guys,

I only started thinking about this recently, when I had to send some
documents to a banker. The issue is that I'm sure most bankers are not
internet-savvy, they might not even know how to download something from a
website (the alternative would be to put the docs in a SSL-protected URL
with http basic auth). So in order to complete the transaction I had to
send the documents via email anyway. Noth

- M

On Wed, Nov 2, 2011 at 7:48 PM, Bastien <bzg@altern.org> wrote:

> Marcelo de Moraes Serpa <celoserpa@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > Do you guys ever encrypt your emails?
>
> FWIW, I do sometimes (one or two times in a month.)
>
> --
>  Bastien
>

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Re: [OT] s/mime / mail encryption

[Ian Barton]

On 03/11/11 18:02, Marcelo de Moraes Serpa wrote:
> Thank you for sharing your experiences guys,
>
> I only started thinking about this recently, when I had to send some
> documents to a banker. The issue is that I'm sure most bankers are not
> internet-savvy, they might not even know how to download something from
> a website (the alternative would be to put the docs in a SSL-protected
> URL with http basic auth). So in order to complete the transaction I had
> to send the documents via email anyway. Noth
>

Unfortunately, you don't have any control over what they do with the 
encrypted document once they have received it. In all likleyhood they 
decrypt it and leave it in plain text on their hard drive. Or more 
likely print it out and stick it to their  screen next to the PostIt 
note with their login password:)

Ian.