Email security is in the news again with the latest Yahoo!
hacking episode, but perhaps the headlines should really be
reflecting the following. Email is not secure. It was never
designed to be. It seems counter-intuitive, but the biggest
security risk to your emails is your own belief that they are
and should be private and safe. The truth is that many people
with good security habits became victims of the Yahoo! debacle
and something similar may happen again. Instead of feeling
outraged at our providers, these scenarios should serve as a
useful reminder of the nature of email and what we can do to
protect ourselves. The first step to more secure emails is
educating yourself on some key facts about the nature of email:
- Email messages are not generally encrypted. This means that
the content of your emails is in clear text that can easily be
interpreted by software AND human beings. This includes the
email addresses used and referred to along with any sensitive
information you include in your text. - Email m