Most of us think of the internet as a safe place to share information and ideas, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. If you want to keep your email safe and private, it’s important to use encryption, which scrambles the data in your emails so only the recipient can read them without any special tools or access. One thing to note about encryption is that there are different levels of security; below are some tips on how to properly use this security feature to ensure that your emails are safe and private. How to keep your emails safe and private
Encryption keeps you from getting hacked
When you send someone an email, it’s like sending a postcard—your message is out there for anyone to see. However, if you use encryption, then it’s like sending that same postcard in a sealed envelope with a lock on it—only someone with the key can open it up. Learn how to set up encryption when sending and receiving email so hackers don’t get access to your messages or sensitive information.
Encryption keeps you from getting hacked again
If you’ve ever gotten an email from a scammer claiming to be Nigerian royalty, you know that hackers aren’t above pretending to be someone they’re not. Thankfully, protecting yourself is easy: add an encryption tool like PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) or S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) for added protection.
Encryption helps avoid phishing attacks
Phishing scams use fake login pages that look similar to real accounts in order to trick people into entering their usernames, passwords, and other sensitive information. Since phishing is so easy for scammers to carry out, it’s wise for web users around the world to have a simple way of protecting themselves from being tricked. Fortunately, encryption does just that by making it impossible for attackers’ impersonal login pages (or phishing sites) from successfully masquerading as legitimate ones.
Encryption stops hackers
There are a lot of people who want to get into your email account—for a variety of reasons. Some want access so they can steal information, others want to abuse you directly by sending spam or malware, and still others might just be curious. But no matter what their reasons are, encryption is one tool that can help stop them. Any email message that’s encrypted will be meaningless (and unreadable) for anyone who tries to intercept it (unless they have an encryption key).