What Secure EMAIL software is available?

self | 11-15-01 | self

[Delta-Boudreaux]

FRiends,

What secure email software do you use or recommend? I have been using MS outlook express and have heard of horror stories. I use NAV for virus protection.

Also do you have any suggestions on securing your computer for internet use?

Thanks, Delta-Boudreaux

[Revel]

Netscape messanger works great. Combine this with Norton anti virus and you will be a OK.

[Tree of Liberty]

I use Eudora for my email client. Most, if not all, virii don't use Euroda's address book to propogate themselves. It also doesn't automatically launch attachments, which I believe is the default for OE. Also, make sure you keep your virus definitions up to date (I use NAV, too), and use a firewall. I use Zone Alarm for that purpose.

[Telit Likitis]

Add ZoneAlarm and relax (More or less).

[SunStar]

IMHO, The best email program - Qualcomm's Eudora (Free!)

Personal firewall software - ZoneAlarm (Free!)

Install Norton Anti-Virus for Email on top of Eudora, and, coupled with ZoneAlarm, you'll be good to go.

(Note: ZoneAlarm doesn't work on Windows XP, because Microsoft thinks that their firewall software is the only one you need.)

[JSteff]

I use AVG anti virus. It is available at Gisoft.com and has caught 4 email virus's in the last 3 months. It is FREE and has an excellent email scanner. I am very pleased.

[dbbeebs]

What secure email software do you use or recommend?

I use quicksilver with mixmaster.

My firewall is sygate personal firewall 4.2

[SlickWillard]

What secure email software do you use or recommend? I have been using MS outlook express and have heard of horror stories. I use NAV for virus protection. Also do you have any suggestions on securing your computer for internet use?

The most important question: What is your operating system? Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Macintosh 9.x, Macintosh 10.x?

Some of these operating systems are very insecure; others can be made highly secure.

[SlickWillard]

The second most important question: What is your physical connection to the internet? Do you dial up over an old fashioned telephone line (at speeds, of, say, 28 kbps to 56 kbps), or do you use one of the newer broadband technologies, such as a cable modem (which uses the same cable as your cable TV), or a DSL (digitial subscriber line, typically offered as a luxury service by your phone company)?

[SpaceBar]

Pine. Yea, I know, I can hear the flames, but it is quite secure if that is your primary concern.

[Tree of Liberty]

It states on ZA's home page that it's XP compatible.

[Tennessee_Bob]

The ultimate in protection? As recommended by tech support around the world? Don't don't connect, don't logon, don't even power up. Perfectly safe that way.

(Just wishing I could get some of the faculty to understand that deleting old messages means deleting old messages, not just calling me at the desk and whining that the message from Fred Hutchins (dead 18 months now) is too important to get rid of)

[PatriotGames]

Go to http://www.zonelabs.com and download and install the free version of ZoneAlarm which is an excellent firewall. Also, make sure that you keep your virus definitions up to date by going to the symantec site at http://www.symantec.com or use Live Update within NAV. Also, for additional protection you can go to http://www.grisoft.com and download and install the free version of their virus protection software. If you have dsl or cable modem and are online 24/7 you should really buy a router with a built-in firewall.

[SpaceBar]

Or you can simply go to www.openbsd.org and get a secure operating system.

[NSpiritOnly]

I use Pegasus for e-mail and McAfee Online for my virus and firewall. They are easy to run, update themselves on a daily schedule you set.

I started with Pegasus, which is a free download when I got my first net connection. It works nice, does not open attachments automatically, lets you see the name of it and decide.

Does mailing list in bcc mode where you do not send everyone's address and does not send out virus email from your address book like Microsoft does.

Also has an encoder if you want one, not sure it is that great as that is not something I use. You can find it on Strouds, Tucows or at its site. I love it.

[Ouachita]

I also use Outlook Express. In addition, I use Zone alarm, InoculateIT PE (anti-virus) and AnalogX Script Defender.

In OE, I set the security level to the "restricted sites zone". I also turned off the preview feature. This way if I receive an e-mail that appears suspicious, I can just delete it without ever having to open it.

Go here to test your e-mail defenses against script viruses.
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/test-defenses.asp

[Z-28]

You didn't say what O.S. (Operating System) you have, but I don't use Outlook e-mail, Outlook Express e-mail, and I NEVER open an e-mail attachment. If you do only this, you will be 99.5% safe from viruses without doing anything else below:

1) I prefer and use Tiny Personal Firewall (Tiny Firewall uses 1/15th the CPU resources of Zone Alarm; http://laser.to/tiny), but Zone Alarm is much easier to setup for non-techies, and provides equal protection. Both are free.

2) I use the corporate version of McAfee Virus Scan 98 (big bucks), and I update the data signature file weekly for new viruses.

3) I have network file and printer sharing disabled, and the network adapters unbound as per Steve Gibson (Gibson Research Corp.) http://www.grc.com (a great security information website too, BTW). Make sure you are "Stealth" on the internet by doing the GRC self-scan here:

https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

4) I use Ad-Subtract 2.42 (free) to block ads and pop-ups:

http://www.adsubtract.com I liked it so well, I bought the "PRO" version.

5) I use Netscape 4.78 Messenger for POP3 e-mail (also free, but I don't use POP 3 e-mail much anymore, and stay away from Netscape 6.0X!) I don't use the Netscape browser at all, much preferring the Microsoft IE v5.5 SP2 browser.

6) I use Hotmail webmail, but you MUST setup all the filtering options or the SPAM will drive you crazy (I average about 3 SPAMS a week now total now on all five Hotmail accounts).

http://lc1.law5.hotmail.passport.com/cgi-bin/login

7) I also use Ad-Aware 5.2 to get rid of that nasty Spyware:

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/downloads.html

I've been on the net since 1995, and never had a virus, though McAfee has "munched" many of them. All these links and many other helpful security links are here (scroll down): http://laser.to/sandiego

[Delta-Boudreaux]

Computer #1 uses 98 and 28k dial up

Computer #2 used ME and 28k dial up

[SlickWillard]

Computer #1 uses 98 and 28k dial up
Computer #2 used ME and 28k dial up

That makes matters a lot tougher. In your case, the greatest security is offered by web-based email. Two of the more popular free services are Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail. These email services allow you to view your email in a web browser - if you have the proper security settings on your web browser, then nothing you view from that web browser should be able to alter the contents of your hard drive (the way Visual Basic Scripting worms can tell Outlook and Outlook Express to trash your hard drive and delete all your files). I believe that Hotmail performs a virus scan of the attachments that come with your email, and I imagine that Yahoo! mail offers a similar service.

The problem with free web-based email is that you don't get much volume on the server (maybe 1MB max). If you want more volume than that, you'll have to pay for it. There are two really big advantages to signing on with a reputable web-based email provider. First, they will be responsible for performing regular backups of your messages (so you don't have to worry about making tape backups of your Inbox). Second, whenever you travel, all you have to do is find a computer that is connected to the internet, and you can immediately surf to your web-based email, without having to dial in to the exact telephone line provided by your ISP. This is a huge benefit for professional people who find themselves stranded at conferences and conventions, with plenty of access to the internet, but with no desire to find a telephone jack and dial a long distance telephone number just to send and receive email. You might find that your existing ISP will upgrade you to a web-based email package for just a small extra monthly payment; for that matter, I believe that both Hotmail and Yahoo! mail will upgrade you to a premium package for a small monthly fee (maybe $9.95 or thereabouts). On the other hand, if you're a cheapskate who's still using a free ISP like Netzero, then, well, ya get what ya pay fer.

If you are using web-based email, be sure to set your security settings very high for your web browser. In Internet Explorer, the most important security settings are made under the tabs

Tools | Internet Options... | Security

and

Tools | Internet Options... | Advanced

If you are really worried about viruses, be sure that you turn off anything that has to do with ActiveX Controls or Active Scripting [which are the features that empower the viruses].

And, of course, the most important defense against viruses is a regular tape backup of your hard drive. If you have a good tape backup, then you can always restore any file that was deleted by the virus.

[Z-28]

Re: #19 reply

Very good advice, I forgot to mention that I run my Microsoft IE 5.5 SP2 web browser on "High Security" setting with everthing to do with ActiveX, JAVA, and Scripting set to "disabled."