Re: Encrypted email

[Jesse Thompson <jesse.thompson () DOIT WISC EDU>]

Perhaps a better place to start would be to define what the goals are.

Clientless encryption is impossible if the goal is end-user to end-user 
encryption.  Even Hushmail fell into this trap when they offered a 
clientless way for users to access their mail.  They didn't make it 
clear to users that any time the server is involved with the decryption 
process, it means that your mail can be decrypted if there is a subpoena 
or a server is compromised.

But if the goal is to provide a way for users to securely send sensitive 
data to any other email recipient, then it appears that a Voltage-type 
system would be very useful.  However, I wouldn't necessarily call it 
encryption.

Jesse Thompson
University of Wisconsin-Madison (email services)

Mike Wiseman wrote:
> Heather,
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> I would be interested to hear about your experience with the Voltage 
> product,  (called SecureMail?). My institution does not currently 
> support central email encryption but we’re running POC testing of X.509 
> certs, cryptographic smartcards – S/MIME is one of the areas of 
> interest. But SecureMail looks interesting: clientless encryption, 
> decryption authenticated using central authentication system, no user 
> certs or keys to distribute/manage...  
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> Mike
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> Mike Wiseman
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> Computing and Networking Services
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> University of Toronto
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> For all of you out there handling HIPAA-protected email and other 
> restricted information -
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> Do you use an email encryption service or application?  Stanford 
> University uses Voltage (http://www.voltage.com), and we're starting a 
> process to review the service overall to determine if this is still the 
> right solution for us today.  What's worked (or not worked) for you?
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> Thanks!
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> Heather Flanagan
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> Director, System Administration
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> heatherf () stanford edu <mailto:heatherf () stanford edu>
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--
  Jesse Thompson
  Email/IM: jesse.thompson () doit wisc edu

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