E-Mail Encryption: Why Isn't Everyone Doing It?

[Anthony E. Greene]

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On 24-Oct-2002/10:05 +0200, De Bug <debug@centras.lt> wrote:
>I am aware of possibility to use encryption but i dont use it cause i
>have nothing to hide (at least in the emails i send). I think people
>should be open as much as they can that's the reason i often
>intentionally do NOT use encryption. This is a matter of principles.

I have run mail servers and networks. I have no illusions about how easy
it is for someone to read unencrypted email. As long as email is only used
for sending jokes to friends there is no need for encryption.

But I use email for work and to conduct personal business. I'd like to be
able to send encrypted email to my political representatives. I would like
to be able to send encrypted email to my doctor, lawyer, real estate
broker, stock broker, or people I am conducting business with. I would
also like to be able to send encrypted email to friends who share a Winbox
with other members of their household.

Anyone in my neighborhood who has cable Internet service can read my
my unencrypted email. Anyone at my ISP or my recipient's ISP can also
read my mail. All they need is sniffer software that is freely available.
I am not paranoid. I have no illusion that there are people watching me. I
just understand that it is too easy for nosy/curious people in the right
position to snoop other people's mail. I would like to be able to protect
my email from that kind of snooping.

I can only do that if my recipients can handle encrypted mail. That is why
this discussion is important.

Tony
- -- 
Anthony E. Greene <mailto:Anthony%20E.%20Greene%20%3Cagreene@pobox.com%3E>
OpenPGP Key: 0x6C94239D/7B3D BD7D 7D91 1B44 BA26  C484 A42A 60DD 6C94 239D
AOL/Yahoo Messenger: TonyG05    HomePage: <http://www.pobox.com/~agreene/>
Linux. The choice of a GNU generation <http://www.linux.org/>

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