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Let's talk about the real level of privacy of the platform and find out whether it is worth using it at all.
ProtonMail, a popular secure email service launched in 2014 through a crowdfunding campaign, promises a high level of privacy, especially when compared to other email platforms, and often advertises its Swiss jurisdiction.
On the ProtonMail homepage, you can see links to "strict Swiss privacy laws" that should ensure the security of user data. And although Switzerland is indeed a kind of privacy guarantor in the eyes of some users, in fact, this does not correspond very well to reality.
Last week, we wrote about a case in which the FBI was able to obtain the data of an American ProtonMail user accused of threats, and then use this data to calculate his physical location and arrest him. And this case, of course, is not an isolated one.
In defense of ProtonMail, it is worth noting that the organization does not share data with the authorities "on the sly". It does not hide this fact and even publishes the so-called annual transparency report . It contains statistics detailing the number of legal requests for user data, as well as the number of satisfied and contested requests.
ProtonMail representatives write: "From time to time, Proton may be legally required to disclose certain user information to the Swiss authorities. This can happen if there is a violation of Swiss law. As stated in our privacy policy, all emails, files, and invitations are encrypted and we do not have the means to decrypt them."
After this, many users may face the question: is ProtonMail still a secure and private service, and should you trust it with your data? In short, the answer is yes.
If you are looking for a secure, encrypted email service that does not have access to the contents of your mailbox, ProtonMail will prove to be at least much better from the point of view of privacy than Gmail and similar services.
However, if you really plan to do things that might attract the attention of law enforcement agencies, then some data that the mail service still has access to (IP address, for example) may be transferred to the authorities.
Even though services like ProtonMail do provide increased privacy compared to traditional email services, you shouldn't rely entirely on their promises.
Any company is forced to comply with the laws of the country where it is registered. And the registration of ProtonMail in Switzerland, unfortunately or fortunately, does not give the company the right to close itself from all instances and cover even experienced criminals.
To maximize the protection of online privacy, we recommend using Tor onion routing, avoiding transmitting personal data and confidential information through unencrypted communication channels, and being careful about what information you post on the Internet in principle.
In addition, you should use strong encrypted services, but understand that complete anonymity with them is not guaranteed. The main thing is to maintain a reasonable balance between convenience and security.
ProtonMail, a popular secure email service launched in 2014 through a crowdfunding campaign, promises a high level of privacy, especially when compared to other email platforms, and often advertises its Swiss jurisdiction.
On the ProtonMail homepage, you can see links to "strict Swiss privacy laws" that should ensure the security of user data. And although Switzerland is indeed a kind of privacy guarantor in the eyes of some users, in fact, this does not correspond very well to reality.
Last week, we wrote about a case in which the FBI was able to obtain the data of an American ProtonMail user accused of threats, and then use this data to calculate his physical location and arrest him. And this case, of course, is not an isolated one.
In defense of ProtonMail, it is worth noting that the organization does not share data with the authorities "on the sly". It does not hide this fact and even publishes the so-called annual transparency report . It contains statistics detailing the number of legal requests for user data, as well as the number of satisfied and contested requests.
ProtonMail representatives write: "From time to time, Proton may be legally required to disclose certain user information to the Swiss authorities. This can happen if there is a violation of Swiss law. As stated in our privacy policy, all emails, files, and invitations are encrypted and we do not have the means to decrypt them."
After this, many users may face the question: is ProtonMail still a secure and private service, and should you trust it with your data? In short, the answer is yes.
If you are looking for a secure, encrypted email service that does not have access to the contents of your mailbox, ProtonMail will prove to be at least much better from the point of view of privacy than Gmail and similar services.
However, if you really plan to do things that might attract the attention of law enforcement agencies, then some data that the mail service still has access to (IP address, for example) may be transferred to the authorities.
Even though services like ProtonMail do provide increased privacy compared to traditional email services, you shouldn't rely entirely on their promises.
Any company is forced to comply with the laws of the country where it is registered. And the registration of ProtonMail in Switzerland, unfortunately or fortunately, does not give the company the right to close itself from all instances and cover even experienced criminals.
To maximize the protection of online privacy, we recommend using Tor onion routing, avoiding transmitting personal data and confidential information through unencrypted communication channels, and being careful about what information you post on the Internet in principle.
In addition, you should use strong encrypted services, but understand that complete anonymity with them is not guaranteed. The main thing is to maintain a reasonable balance between convenience and security.
