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Mailfence

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Mailfence
Logo of Mailfence
Screenshot
Screenshot of the Mailfence website, showing the user's inbox.
Type of site
Webmail
Available in5 languages
OwnerContactOffice Group
Created by
  • Patrick De Schutter
  • Arnaud Huret
URLwww.mailfence.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationRequired
Launched12 November 2013; 11 years ago (2013-11-12)
Current statusActive
Content license
Proprietary

Mailfence is a web-based email service that offers OpenPGP based end-to-end encryption and digital signatures. It was launched in November 2013 by ContactOffice Group, which operates an online collaboration suite for universities and other organizations since 1999.[1]

History

In the midst of 2013, right after the massive global mass surveillance disclosure, the founders of ContactOffice felt there was a strong need for a dedicated platform that will allow users to regain their email privacy and easy to use security mechanisms.[2] In March 2016, the company released the BETA version of their end-to-end encryption and digital signatures for emails.[3]

Features

Unlike some other secure email services, Mailfence is more of a groupware offering secure email but also Calendar, Contacts, Instant Messaging and File sharing functions.[4]

Email

The service supports POP/IMAP and Exchange ActiveSync[5] as well as vanity domains.[6] Users can send both plain and rich text emails, organize messages in folders and/or categorize them with tags, set default message signatures, create aliases and use plus addressing[7] to apply filters to inbound messages.

Contacts

The contacts support (CSV, vCard, LDIF) import, (vCard, CSV, PDF) export, creation and modification of contacts. Users can create contact lists and organize them with tags.

Calendar

The calendar supports vCal/iCal import and export. User can share their calendar with group members and can also create polls.

Documents

A document storage space is available. Users can drag and drop files in folders and categorize them with tags. Documents can be edited online and accessed using WebDAV.

Groups

Groups allow users to share documents, contacts and calendars with group members in a secure way. A group administrator manages the access rights of group members and can also set another group member as co-admin or main admin of the group.

Server location

Since their servers are located in Belgium,[8] they are legally outside of US jurisdiction. Mailfence is therefore not subjected to US gag orders and NSLs. Under Belgian law, all national and international surveillance requests must go through a Belgian court.[9]

Security and Privacy

Aside from conventional security features SPF,[10] DKIM, TFA,[11] Spam protection, User-side blacklisting, Mailfence offers following features:

End-to-end encryption

The service uses an open-source implementation of OpenPGP (RFC-4880).[12] Private keys are generated in the client-browser, encrypted (via AES256) with the user's passphrase, and then stored on the server.[13] The server never sees the user's passphrase.

Digital signatures

The service gives the choice between "signing", or "signing and encrypting" an email message with or without attachments.[14]

Integrated keystore

The service provides an integrated keystore to PGP keys,[15] and does not require any third-party add-on/plugin.

Full OpenPGP interoperability

Users can communicate with any OpenPGP compatible service provider.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ "ContactOffice launch and users".
  2. ^ Keren, Ditsa. "Mailfence, a new secure email that fights to reclaim internet privacy". vpnmentor. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  3. ^ https://blog.mailfence.com/beta-launch-of-the-first-pure-end-to-end-encryption-service-that-gives-you-full-control/
  4. ^ Leonard, John. "Escape from Yahoo: Nine encrypted email alternatives". Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  5. ^ Skjefstad, Vegard. "Secure and Private E-mail: A Provider Overview". Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  6. ^ "Privacytools.io is a socially motivated website that provides information for protecting your data security and privacy". Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  7. ^ "Plus addressing to filter email". Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  8. ^ "The Mailfence SSL/TLS Certificate". Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  9. ^ "Mailfence privacy policy". Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  10. ^ "Mailfence now implements SPF (Sender Policy Framework)". Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  11. ^ Davis, Josh. "Two Factor Auth (2FA)". Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  12. ^ Sparrow, Elijah. "OpenTechFund/secure-email". Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  13. ^ "Mailfence end-to-end encryption and digital signatures". Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  14. ^ Thomas, Mike. "A (mostly) In Depth Review of Mailfence". Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  15. ^ Schürmann, Dominik. "OpenPGP Email encryption. For all operating systems. Standing the test of time". Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  16. ^ "Encrypted email service providers". v. Retrieved 25 May 2016.