On Sat, May 10, 2014 at 9:13 PM, Michael Torrie <[email protected]> wrote:

> On 05/10/2014 08:51 PM, plug.mailing-list wrote:
> > I would argue that when 'expected' a self-signed cert is *more*
> > secure than one from a CA.
> >
> > The cert should only affect your connections to the mailserver, and
> > not influence your ability to send/recieve email to/from other
> > servers.
>
> Absolutely correct.
>
> Server to server smtp can use TLS, but it's not required and won't buy
> you any security since each relay opens the envelope anyway, so if the
> NSA is listening as mail relays through then TLS won't help.
>
> Only your clients who need to authenticate before sending mail, or
> checking their inboxes, need TLS or SSL.  If you need your e-mail
> messages to be secure, then gnupg on both ends is your only real choice.
>  Though that leaves the envelope itself exposed.  SMTP cannot help us
> there.
>

Server to server is still worth encrypting. Unless the NSA is poisoning DNS
or doing man-in-the-middle, then it does buy you some additional security.
You as a user still have to be concerned with your provider eavesdropping
or the stored messages being leaked, and for that end-to-end encryption
like PGP is the only solution.

Corey

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