update: Add third-party audits to best-case email provider criteria (#2709)

Signed-off-by: blacklight447 <niek@privacyguides.org>
Signed-off-by: kimg45 <138676274+kimg45@users.noreply.github.com>
Signed-off-by: Daniel Gray <dngray@privacyguides.org>
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redoomed1 2024-08-15 00:59:05 +00:00 committed by Daniel Gray
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@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ cover: email.webp
global:
- [randomize-element, "table tbody"]
---
<!-- markdownlint-disable MD024 -->
Email is practically a necessity for using any online service, however we do not recommend it for person-to-person conversations. Rather than using email to contact other people, consider using an instant messaging medium that supports forward secrecy.
[Recommended Instant Messengers](real-time-communication.md){ .md-button }
@ -52,7 +51,7 @@ OpenPGP also does not support Forward secrecy, which means if either your or the
![Proton Mail logo](assets/img/email/protonmail.svg){ align=right }
**Proton Mail** is an email service with a focus on privacy, encryption, security, and ease of use. They have been in operation since **2013**. Proton AG is based in Genève, Switzerland. The Proton Mail Free plan comes with 500MB of Mail storage, which you can increase up to 1GB for free.
**Proton Mail** is an email service with a focus on privacy, encryption, security, and ease of use. They have been in operation since 2013. Proton AG is based in Genève, Switzerland. The Proton Mail Free plan comes with 500MB of Mail storage, which you can increase up to 1GB for free.
[:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://proton.me/mail){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
[:simple-torbrowser:](https://protonmailrmez3lotccipshtkleegetolb73fuirgj7r4o4vfu7ozyd.onion){ .card-link title="Onion Service" }
@ -189,7 +188,7 @@ These providers store your emails with zero-knowledge encryption, making them gr
![Tuta logo](assets/img/email/tuta.svg#only-light){ align=right }
![Tuta logo](assets/img/email/tuta-dark.svg#only-dark){ align=right }
**Tuta** is an email service with a focus on security and privacy through the use of encryption. Tuta has been in operation since **2011** and is based in Hanover, Germany. Free accounts start with 1GB of storage.
**Tuta** (formerly *Tutanota*) is an email service with a focus on security and privacy through the use of encryption. Tuta has been in operation since 2011 and is based in Hanover, Germany. Free accounts start with 1GB of storage.
[:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://tuta.com){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
[:octicons-eye-16:](https://tuta.com/privacy){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
@ -254,7 +253,7 @@ Advanced system administrators may consider setting up their own email server. M
![Mailcow logo](assets/img/email/mailcow.svg){ align=right }
**Mailcow** is a more advanced mail server perfect for those with a bit more Linux experience. It has everything you need in a Docker container: A mail server with DKIM support, antivirus and spam monitoring, webmail and ActiveSync with SOGo, and web-based administration with 2FA support.
**Mailcow** is a more advanced mail server perfect for those with a bit more Linux experience. It has everything you need in a Docker container: a mail server with DKIM support, antivirus and spam monitoring, webmail and ActiveSync with SOGo, and web-based administration with 2FA support.
[:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://mailcow.email){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
[:octicons-info-16:](https://docs.mailcow.email){ .card-link title=Documentation}
@ -304,8 +303,8 @@ We regard these features as important in order to provide a safe and optimal ser
- Support for a temporary mailbox for external users. This is useful when you want to send an encrypted email, without sending an actual copy to your recipient. These emails usually have a limited lifespan and then are automatically deleted. They also don't require the recipient to configure any cryptography like OpenPGP.
- Availability of the email provider's services via an [onion service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.onion).
- [Sub-addressing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_address#Sub-addressing) support.
- Catch-all or alias functionality for those who own their own domains.
- Use of standard email access protocols such as IMAP, SMTP or [JMAP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSON_Meta_Application_Protocol). Standard access protocols ensure customers can easily download all of their email, should they want to switch to another provider.
- Catch-all or alias functionality for those who use their own domains.
- Use of standard email access protocols such as IMAP, SMTP, or [JMAP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSON_Meta_Application_Protocol). Standard access protocols ensure customers can easily download all of their email, should they want to switch to another provider.
### Privacy
@ -313,7 +312,7 @@ We prefer our recommended providers to collect as little data as possible.
**Minimum to Qualify:**
- Protect sender's IP address. Filter it from showing in the `Received` header field.
- Protect sender's IP address, which can involve filtering it from showing in the `Received` header field.
- Don't require personally identifiable information (PII) besides a username and a password.
- Privacy policy that meets the requirements defined by the GDPR.
@ -324,12 +323,12 @@ We prefer our recommended providers to collect as little data as possible.
### Security
Email servers deal with a lot of very sensitive data. We expect that providers will adopt best industry practices in order to protect their members.
Email servers deal with a lot of very sensitive data. We expect that providers will adopt best industry practices in order to protect their customers.
**Minimum to Qualify:**
- Protection of webmail with 2FA, such as TOTP.
- Zero access encryption, builds on encryption at rest. The provider does not have the decryption keys to the data they hold. This prevents a rogue employee leaking data they have access to or remote adversary from releasing data they have stolen by gaining unauthorized access to the server.
- Zero access encryption, which builds on encryption at rest. The provider does not have the decryption keys to the data they hold. This prevents a rogue employee leaking data they have access to or remote adversary from releasing data they have stolen by gaining unauthorized access to the server.
- [DNSSEC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_Name_System_Security_Extensions) support.
- No TLS errors or vulnerabilities when being profiled by tools such as [Hardenize](https://hardenize.com), [testssl.sh](https://testssl.sh), or [Qualys SSL Labs](https://ssllabs.com/ssltest); this includes certificate related errors and weak DH parameters, such as those that led to [Logjam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logjam_(computer_security)).
- A server suite preference (optional on TLSv1.3) for strong cipher suites which support forward secrecy and authenticated encryption.
@ -342,13 +341,14 @@ Email servers deal with a lot of very sensitive data. We expect that providers w
- Website security standards such as:
- [HTTP Strict Transport Security](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_Strict_Transport_Security)
- [Subresource Integrity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subresource_Integrity) if loading things from external domains.
- Must support viewing of [Message headers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email#Message_header), as it is a crucial forensic feature to determine if an email is a phishing attempt.
- Must support viewing of [message headers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email#Message_header), as it is a crucial forensic feature to determine if an email is a phishing attempt.
**Best Case:**
- Support for hardware authentication, i.e. U2F and [WebAuthn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebAuthn). U2F and WebAuthn are more secure as they use a private key stored on a client-side hardware device to authenticate people, as opposed to a shared secret that is stored on the web server and on the client side when using TOTP. Furthermore, U2F and WebAuthn are more resistant to phishing as their authentication response is based on the authenticated [domain name](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_name).
- Support for hardware authentication, i.e. U2F and [WebAuthn](basics/multi-factor-authentication.md#fido-fast-identity-online).
- [DNS Certification Authority Authorization (CAA) Resource Record](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6844) in addition to DANE support.
- Implementation of [Authenticated Received Chain (ARC)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authenticated_Received_Chain), this is useful for people who post to mailing lists [RFC8617](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc8617).
- Implementation of [Authenticated Received Chain (ARC)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authenticated_Received_Chain), which is useful for people who post to mailing lists [RFC8617](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc8617).
- Published security audits from a reputable third-party firm.
- Bug-bounty programs and/or a coordinated vulnerability-disclosure process.
- Website security standards such as:
- [Content Security Policy (CSP)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_Security_Policy)
@ -364,28 +364,27 @@ You wouldn't trust your finances to someone with a fake identity, so why trust t
**Best Case:**
- Public-facing leadership.
- Frequent transparency reports.
### Marketing
With the email providers we recommend we like to see responsible marketing.
With the email providers we recommend, we like to see responsible marketing.
**Minimum to Qualify:**
- Must self-host analytics (no Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, etc.). The provider's site must also comply with [DNT (Do Not Track)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Track) for those who wish to opt-out.
- Must self-host analytics (no Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, etc.). The provider's site must also comply with [DNT (Do Not Track)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Track) for those who wish to opt out.
Must not have any marketing which is irresponsible:
Must not have any irresponsible marketing, which can include the following:
- Claims of "unbreakable encryption." Encryption should be used with the intention that it may not be secret in the future when the technology exists to crack it.
- Making guarantees of protecting anonymity 100%. When someone makes a claim that something is 100% it means there is no certainty for failure. We know people can quite easily deanonymize themselves in a number of ways, e.g.:
- Making guarantees of protecting anonymity 100%. When someone makes a claim that something is 100% it means there is no certainty for failure. We know people can quite easily de-anonymize themselves in a number of ways, e.g.:
- Reusing personal information e.g. (email accounts, unique pseudonyms, etc.) that they accessed without anonymity software (Tor, VPN, etc.)
- [Browser fingerprinting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Device_fingerprint#Browser_fingerprint)
**Best Case:**
- Clear and easy to read documentation. This includes things like, setting up 2FA, email clients, OpenPGP, etc.
- Clear and easy to read documentation for tasks like setting up 2FA, email clients, OpenPGP, etc.
### Additional Functionality