How to send secure encrypted email for free

Posted on December 5, 2007 at 10:35 am

Need to send someone some very sensitive data in an encrypted email message? Of course, you can always send it via normal email channels, but you run the risk of having your email read by someone who knows how to capture email messages as they are sent across the Internet. If you’re technically savvy, you can configure encryption in Outlook, but it requires a large amount of technical knowledge and a good amount of time.

If you’re looking for a quick way to send someone private data, like a credit card number or password, then you might want to take a look at a new online web service called Lockbin.

Lockbin does all of the dirty work of encrypting the data for you using a strong encryption algorithm, etc, so all you have to do is think of a password and click Send.

Here’s how it works: when you want to send a message, you first need to think up a secret word or password, which will be used by their cryptographic algorithm to encrypt and store the email on their servers. Then you need to transmit this password to the person who will be receiving the email via phone, text message, IM, or via unprotected email!

Then the receiver visits Lockbin and enters his password to decrypt the email in his/her local browser. The actual decryption does not take place on the server and hence no data is being transferred across the Internet during the decryption process. As soon as the email is opened, the encrypted message is deleted from the Lockbin servers forever, no copy or backup is kept. Here’s how my message “I have a secret” is stored on Lockbin servers.

It’s certainly not a fool-proof way to send encrypted email, but it’s definitely better than sending sensitive data through normal email programs like Gmail or Outlook, which can be easily read via network sniffer programs. Source MakeUseOf

[tags]encrypted email, free encrypted email, secure encrypted email, how to encrypt email, encrypt e mail, sending encrypted emai[/tags]

» Filed Under Cool Websites

Comments

13 Responses to “How to send secure encrypted email for free”

Keith Dsouza said on : December 5th, 2007 at 2:02 pm

Seems to be a great tool, I definitely send out a lot of confidential emails out and this would help in keeping that information safe.

akishore said on : December 6th, 2007 at 9:40 am

Keith – It’s definitely much easier than sending secure encrypted email from Outlook! I tried that once and it took forever and I had to send all kinds of files and instructions to the receiver also!

anonymous email said on : December 6th, 2007 at 10:47 am

Why not using GnuPG? Then you dont need any middleware.

Russ said on : January 20th, 2008 at 12:21 pm

I just clicked on the Lockbin link and a Security Alert pop-up stated that the website’s security certificate is expired or not yet valid. I of course did not proceed.

Someone might want to inform this security service website that they appear to be unsecure.

akishore said on : January 22nd, 2008 at 10:14 am

Hi Russ, just noticed the same thing too! Not good! Looks like the certificate expired and they have not updated it yet. Thanks.

Kevin said on : October 8th, 2008 at 10:31 am

Can anybody help? I want to send a message to an Hotmail account but the message returned and stated that my IP is blacklisted and so message can’t be delivered… What do i do to Hide my Ip and send this message? pls e-mail me ksmallsz at yahoo.com

Bill said on : November 3rd, 2008 at 1:24 pm

I sent out an email and my recipients could not unlock with the password i sent them

ralph said on : November 12th, 2008 at 3:38 pm

It doesn’t work – sent 2 tests from the site to my hotmail account – when you try to open them it says “an error has occurred” each time!! Anyhow, who’s to say these people aren’t reading your secret information when you type it in????

Bernard Hoffman said on : April 8th, 2009 at 3:05 am

I use http://nicochase.com/crypt.php. This site uses RC4 in-browser, so your data never leaves your PC. Cypher keys can be shared on a back channel or separate message.

Encrypt passwords for sharing via email or instant messenger. Protect sensitive data when sharing with business partners and family.

Billy J said on : September 17th, 2009 at 6:37 am

LockBin updated their site. Issues with certificate resolved. Works great for me! Well worth the price!

Ed Gerck said on : November 15th, 2009 at 2:06 am

To send encrypted email with delivery notification and self-destruct, without requiring the recipient to setup or register, try free ZSentry Mail Basic at http://emailsecurity.zsentry.com/
(zsentry can also send using desktop email with SSL SMTP)

Want to send secured and encrypted email ? Use Lockbin Says:

[...] [Via Online Tech Tips] [...]
December 6th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Send secure and encrypted text via email online Says:

[...] I wrote about a web service called LockBin, which was a free way to send encrypted email messages for free. However, the service has been having issues and doesn’t seem to work anymore for some [...]
November 19th, 2008 at 5:34 am