What’s the worst that could happen if someone gains access to your email account?
You may think not much - maybe a few spam emails will be sent from your account, but once you change your password, it’ll be over, right?
Actually, your email account is probably the worst online account that can be hacked. Once someone gains access to your email account, it’s an easy enough process to use your email to reset your passwords to any other account on the web, from social media profiles to bank accounts.
And hackers and thieves aren’t the only ones trying to break into your personal messages.
In 1986, the US government passed the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. Among other things, it defined email stored on a server for more than 180 days “abandoned.” Thus, all law enforcement agencies had to do to access it was provide a written statement saying that it was necessary for an investigation. This was before most people had ever heard of email. And this is still the law three decades later.
But this may change. In late April 2016, the House of Representatives voted 419-0 for the Email Privacy Act, which would require that the government get a warrant before accessing Americans’ email. But even if it becomes law, there are still many other concerns.
If you’ve ever read your personal email at work (And let’s be honest, who hasn’t?) chances are your employer could be snooping around in your inbox right along with you. Do you really want to risk your boss finding out about your new job search, your medical history, or your opinions of their management style?
Your email provider may also access your emails under certain circumstances and share them with authorities.
Having a strong unique password is an important first step, but it may not be enough to keep your email completely safe from spying.
If you’re serious about keeping your private communications safe, check out the four email privacy tools we’ve profiled below. They’ll help you to secure your email using features like encryption, anonymity, auto self-destruction, and more. Some of them will work with your existing email accounts, while others will require the setup of a new email address.
No matter which tool you choose, you’ll be ahead of the crowd when it comes to email privacy.
Infographic Sources:
1. Secrets, lies and Snowden’s email: why I was forced to shut down Lavabit
2. Why No One Uses Encrypted Email Messages
3. How to Encrypt Your Email and Keep Your Conversations Private
4. ProtonMail
5. ProtonMail: Increase my storage space
6. The Only Email System The NSA Can’t Access
7. ProtonMail FAQ
8. ProtonMail Is A Swiss Secure Mail Provider That Won’t Give You Up To The NSA
9. ProtonMail | Indiegogo
10. Request an invite for a free ProtonMail account
11. PayPal freezes out ProtonMail, asks if startup has ‘government permission’ to encrypt email
12. ProtonMail Security Features
13. How are ProtonMail keys distributed?
14. Mailvelope
15. Mailvelope Blog
16. Mailvelope FAQ
17. About Mailvelope
18. Mailvelope Documentation
19. Mailpile
20. Mailpile enters beta - It’s like Gmail, but you run it on your own computer
21. Mailpile on Crunchbase
22. Mailpile FAQ
23. Secure Email and Cloud Alternatives to Gmail and Dropbox
24. LavaBoom About
25. Lavaboom on Crunchbase
26. Lavaboom Tech Info
27. Lavaboom builds encrypted webmail service to resist snooping
28. Tutanota
29. Tutanota releases iOS encrypted email app after notifying NSA
30. Interview: Tutanota CEO on Security, Encryption and the NSA
31. 10 Secure Gmail Alternatives
32. Kolab Now
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