My email account/security

Leocat · 29 Aug 2006, 11:47 PM

Is it illegal for somebody to read my email? How do I know if somebody is doing that? Where can I find out what the laws are? (is there a good site on this subject?)
I know I can change my password, but what else can I do to protect my email?
I am posting this question for myself and some others who are interested in this area. I don't know if this is the right area for this type of question. If it isn't , is there another site that I should visit?

Thanks!

**Sherry** · 30 Aug 2006, 06:40 AM

[Moderator:]

As this is an email related thread I have moved it to the "Email Comments, Questions and Miscellanea " Forum. I believe you will get more answers/discussion from that forum.

Welcome to the EMD Forums

Olfrygt · 30 Aug 2006, 07:39 PM

Emails are like postcards - anyone can be reading them, as they pass through maybe 35 computers to get to their destination.
The only way to ensure privacy, is to encrypt messages, so only the recipient who has the password, can read them.
There are some special email services you could try, like www.stealthmessage.com .
As for the legal situation, it seems irrevelant, I don't see what can be done.
Never send any important details by email.

Leocat · 31 Aug 2006, 12:22 AM

Thanks for your replies. I won't be sending anything really important in my emails. I should stop thinking of email like a sealed letter.

registered_user · 31 Aug 2006, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Olfrygt
Emails are like postcards - anyone can be reading them, as they pass through maybe 35 computers to get to their destination.
The only way to ensure privacy, is to encrypt messages, so only the recipient who has the password, can read them.
There are some special email services you could try, like www.stealthmessage.com .
As for the legal situation, it seems irrevelant, I don't see what can be done.
Never send any important details by email.

You're right that reading mail in transit is basically impossible to prevent, but I'm not sure that makes it legal (there have been several high profile court cases dealing with just this and there doesn't seem to be a solid legal foundation laid in this territory yet because the outcomes have been different). And of course, it all depends on who is doing the reading. I imagine the NSA can read whatever they want without reprisal, but if you're trying to hide communications between you and your lawyer during a trial divorce and your wife reads your mail, then you're entering into sketchy legal territory.

As for someone logging into your mail account without your permission, that's definitely illegal. If you suspect someone has logged into your account without your permission, report it to you host immediately and they will help you go through the necessary steps to deal with the issue. Usually, the hosting service ends up pressing the charges because it violates their terms, it's like someone breaking into their system. If they determine that the attacker gained access to your account because you did something that violated your terms of service agreement (like giving somebody your password) then they could stop providing service for you too, but most of the time, they're just interested in getting the attacker and hitting them with a huge financial penalty.

Generally speaking though, treat your email like public discourse. Anybody could be listening. If you really need privacy, encrypt.

drew · 31 Aug 2006, 03:23 AM

Here in Sweden it is still legal for a Boss to read emails written on the companies computers and sent over their intranet. The security officer are allowed to read them to.

But there is a law in work to not allow it. Not sure if that goes through though. Has to be applied in all of Europe I guess so negotioations are needed.

Apart from that as everybody would tell you. Those that are responsible for email servers and servers in between could read them. How legal that is I don't know.

So what you write while at work could get read by the admin at your work. So keep such at a minimum.

JRobert · 31 Aug 2006, 09:02 PM

What is legal and what is possible are two different things. Laws don't prevent anything; they may give you (expensive) recourse after the (presumably expensive) damage is done.

If your communication must go undivulged or undetected, either encrypt it (prevents reading the content, but could still demonstrate that some conversation took place between me and thee), don't put it in writing (or phone, especially cell-phone) at all (best).

-jeff-

29 Aug 2006, 11:47 PM	#1
Leocat Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2	My email account/security Is it illegal for somebody to read my email? How do I know if somebody is doing that? Where can I find out what the laws are? (is there a good site on this subject?) I know I can change my password, but what else can I do to protect my email? I am posting this question for myself and some others who are interested in this area. I don't know if this is the right area for this type of question. If it isn't , is there another site that I should visit? Thanks!

30 Aug 2006, 06:40 AM	#2
Sherry Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: USA Posts: 8,687	[Moderator:] As this is an email related thread I have moved it to the "Email Comments, Questions and Miscellanea " Forum. I believe you will get more answers/discussion from that forum. Welcome to the EMD Forums

30 Aug 2006, 07:39 PM	#3
Olfrygt Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 157	Emails are like postcards - anyone can be reading them, as they pass through maybe 35 computers to get to their destination. The only way to ensure privacy, is to encrypt messages, so only the recipient who has the password, can read them. There are some special email services you could try, like www.stealthmessage.com . As for the legal situation, it seems irrevelant, I don't see what can be done. Never send any important details by email.

31 Aug 2006, 12:22 AM	#4
Leocat Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2	Thanks for your replies. I won't be sending anything really important in my emails. I should stop thinking of email like a sealed letter.

31 Aug 2006, 03:23 AM	#6
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,626	Here in Sweden it is still legal for a Boss to read emails written on the companies computers and sent over their intranet. The security officer are allowed to read them to. But there is a law in work to not allow it. Not sure if that goes through though. Has to be applied in all of Europe I guess so negotioations are needed. Apart from that as everybody would tell you. Those that are responsible for email servers and servers in between could read them. How legal that is I don't know. So what you write while at work could get read by the admin at your work. So keep such at a minimum.

31 Aug 2006, 09:02 PM	#7
JRobert Master of the @ Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 1,561	What is legal and what is possible are two different things. Laws don't prevent anything; they may give you (expensive) recourse after the (presumably expensive) damage is done. If your communication must go undivulged or undetected, either encrypt it (prevents reading the content, but could still demonstrate that some conversation took place between me and thee), don't put it in writing (or phone, especially cell-phone) at all (best). -jeff-