- SSL/TLS for HTTPS
- SMTPS
- STARTTLS
- SMTP MTA-STS
- SPF
- DKIM
- DMARC
- S/MIME
- OpenPGP
- Digital Certificates
Protocols: But Not Email Security Protocol for the Email System
Generally, insecure email depends on a few protocols which are not security protocols or not for the security of emails. The following protocols play a key role in deciding how email retrieve, formatted, and transmitted.- SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol): Which defines how the messages are transmitted.
- Internet Message Format, Request For Comments 5322, and Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) feature dictate how messages are vanished or formatted.
- Post Office Protocol 3 and Internet Message Access Protocol 4 specifically work on how email clients recover messages from SMTP servers.
1.SSL/TLS for HTTPS:
It means Secure Sockets Layers (SSL). It was created in 1995. SSLv3 was going through some vulnerabilities and was replaced in 1999 by Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol for the email system. In this period, TLS eventually got disapproval, and SSL took its place in 2015.For the security of the email, SSL/TLS does not play any essential function. The reason for its use is to secure HTTPS. That helps facilitate all emails interchanging between the users and servers.HTTPS uses TLS to encrypt network traffic streams between servers and clients. It is not directly called for in email, but the purpose of its use is for web traffic. Likewise, its function is to encrypt webmail messages.2.SMTPS
SMTP Secure (SMTPS) function is similar to HTTPS for SMTP. It utilizes TLS to secure or encrypt those messages between servers and clients. Secured TLS messages are encrypted after they have reached their destination. Cleartext messages can be reachable on email servers; as a result, they are sent without encryption if it’s not a different security protocol for the email system, like STARTTLS, which is used for encryption.3.STARTTLS
It is a service extension that is commonly used for SMTP, and it supports timeserving encryption between client and mail servers. Whenever the STARTLLS extension is in use, that time mail system communicates. Then settle the authentication algorithms and the use of encryption to protect exchanges. Encryption of message metadata and all message content may be possible. Data will be decrypted once it receives the transmissions.4.SMTP MTA-STS
- The SMTP Mail Transfer Agent Strict Transport Security (MTA-STS) Protocol helps secure email by allowing SMTP servers that use TLS. Moreover, it gives enterprises a process to enable servers not to connect with servers. That doesn’t provide TLS connections with a trusted certificate. Email providers can protect emails from spammers and phishing emails by requiring trustworthy certificates and not accepting connections from those authentic servers.
5. SPF
Sender Policy Framework (SPF) protocol:- It allows domain owners to recognize authorized hosts. They have permission to use their domain names when sending emails. It defines how authorization can be verified. It also gives a path for the owners of the domain to inform about the authorization of IP addresses. They are already in use for sending the email on the domain’s behalf.Also, it decreases the chance of spam emails or spoof emails. They can be sent with that spoofed domain as the source of the message, even though SPF is generally enabled with additional security protocols for emails. It gives much more assurance that the email came from the original domain.
6. DKIM
Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM) Builds on SPF, which allows the system or entity. It owns the domain for signing to connect itself to the digital signature, which authenticates the entity.
7. DMARC
Domain-base Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC):- It comes up with a process that notifies and mandates actions when messages get failed in authentication under DKIM and SPF. While SPF and DKIM Mark those messages which are spoofed or fraudulent. DMARC enables the suggestion of what actions one should be taken by domain owners to discover and decide the suitable response action by the receiver.
8. S/MIME
Secure/MIME (S/MIME):- It is a standard that characterizes how to verify and encrypt MIME-formatted information. At the same time, the content of S/MIME can be encrypted, not the email headers. It means the attacker can easily see from where these messages are coming and also who is the intended recipient.
9. Open PGP:-
Open PGP is also a standard like S/MIME, but it is used for encryption and verification or authentication of data. It Includes email messages mainly, which are based on the PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) framework. Open PGP is suitable with S/MIME, so when data can be protected, we can not protect the metadata around encrypted messages.10. Digital Certificates:-
These are Electronic Documents that prove public key ownership. Also, Verifying senders are who they claim to be. To sign and encrypt emails, it can also use. While they are not protocols, they are a type of security protocol for the email system, which explain how digital certificates can share and make.Also, read: Which of These Should be Avoided in an email.FAQ
It is essential to keep the software and hardware up to date, use secure protocols such as SSL/TLS, authenticate all users, encrypt messages, restrict access, use antivirus and anti-spam solutions, and limit forwarding of confidential information.
Sending emails with TLS (Transport Layer Security) is a secure way to send emails. It is a protocol that encrypts the communication between a sender and receiver, providing a secure connection for the transmission of emails. To send emails with TLS, you’ll need to configure your email server to use the TLS protocol.
IMAP is generally considered the more secure protocol for email. It uses authentication for access to the mailbox, which means the user must use a username and password to gain access. IMAP also supports SSL encryption, which encrypts the sent and received data. POP3 does not offer any form of authentication, so it is not as secure as IMAP.
The best way to maintain the security of an email system is to ensure that all users have strong passwords, use two-factor authentication, and keep the system up to date with the latest security patches. It is also essential to perform regular security scans to detect potential threats and block malicious emails from entering the system. Finally, users should be trained not to open suspicious emails or attachments.
Anthony Goldstein is an American author from California. He is best known for his work in the tech industry, where he has written extensively on topics such as artificial intelligence and the future of technology.