cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Email Security

kmilburn
Grafter
Posts: 911
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Email Security

I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest to find people on public wifi attempting to sniff the network to see what they could find.
Also,  the problem with the lack of security extends from your machine to Plusnet and EVERY hop in between.
All it takes is one rogue in the loop with a packet sniffer to obtain the details.
While you may expect them to be more interested in celebrities,  they'll take any details they can get there hands on on go exploring  to see if there is anything of interest.
While the risk is small,  it does exist,  and with the wrong information exposed could be problematic  (ID Theft,  blackmail, etc.).
On top of that,  you've got gmail, hotmail, yahoo, fastmail and numerous ISPs who all REQUIRE encrypted connections.
And the email client I use tells me  'No security is supported.  It is not recommended to connect to this server'. 
However,  I take it you know something they don't, or do you assume their all needlessly paranoid too,  along with all the websites and other software that make you use secure connections.
NedLudd
Grafter
Posts: 1,898
Thanks: 8
Registered: ‎20-10-2012

Re: Email Security

The risk is infinitesimal - end of!
I've been surfing for 6 years longer than the internet has been here. I was with CompuServe for that time. And, I've yet to meet anyone who has been caught by these so called threats. I've met plenty claiming to have been caught but closer examination shows that it's always been something else, usually as a result of lax personal security.
Yes, it is possible to 'sniff' wifi transactions, it also possible to crack SSL!
There's a lot of urban myths concerning 'hacking'. Most are cases of people unwittingly clicking on spam emails or dubious websites. Then rather than be seen to be fools ................
Geoff,
York.
kmilburn
Grafter
Posts: 911
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Email Security

The chance of a particular starling in a murmuration being killed by a bird of prey is equally small,  but the bird of prey rarely leaves without one.
As a software engineer,  I'm fully aware of the various causes of problems and risk factors involved,  but when there is a more secure option  (even if it can be broken),  why take the less secure route.
As you don't seem to be concerned with security,  I assume you don't use SSH, SFTP, VPNs etc to connect to remote servers.
I assume you don't bother with passwords either.
NedLudd
Grafter
Posts: 1,898
Thanks: 8
Registered: ‎20-10-2012

Re: Email Security

Quote from: kmilburn

As you don't seem to be concerned with security,  I assume you don't use SSH, SFTP, VPNs etc to connect to remote servers.
I assume you don't bother with passwords either.

Now, you're just being facetious!
PS - I was speccing software for mainframes before you were born!
Geoff,
York.
Midnight_Caller
Rising Star
Posts: 4,167
Thanks: 15
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎15-04-2007

Re: Email Security

@NedLudd, I was with CompuServe too, CompuServe like the World Wide Web uses the internet, you may have been using the internet 6 years longer than the World Wide Web has been here, but you have not been surfing for 6 years longer than the internet has been out for.
Back on topic PlusNet should be using SSL for all e-mails
druck
Grafter
Posts: 31
Thanks: 9
Registered: ‎17-08-2007

Re: Email Security

PlusNet have been sitting on this for years, it's now getting to issue worthy of changing ISPs, which is damn pity a I have no complaints about the rest of the service.  Angry