2021 Security Series (Part 5)
Before I recommend specific email services, I want to point out what I use… Thunderbird email client. It has built-in GNUPG and an available add-on Enigmail PGP encryption feature. Using your IMAP settings, you can import all your IMAP/POP3 capable email accounts into one place, allowing you to use powerful PGP encryption even for your gmail, yahoo, etc. email accounts. In my case, I own the domain names RadioFreeRedoubt.com and AmRRON.com, so those accounts come with email account setup features. I am able to import those into my Thunderbird email client along with all my other IMAP-capable email accounts.
Here is a slightly dated, but still very relevant tutorial video on downloading and setting up the Thunderbird email client. I can’t recommend it strongly enough.
Future postings will address PGP encryption video tutorials in depth.
In the wake of increasing censorship by left leaning internet-based services, conservative Christian patriots are finding themselves without news sources they can trust and ways of communicating with each other.
Here are email alternatives which offer increased privacy, security, and a degree of anonymity.
EMAIL SERVICES:
We have received reports that Yahoo and Outlook email services have blocked user accounts
due to Christian/conservative views. Remember, services such as Gmail and Yahoo scrape the contents of your data, searching for keywords for marketing purposes. And YOU AGREE to this when you click on their ‘I Agree’ button under their TOS (Terms of Service). Today we’re learning that big tech companies such as these have very close working relationships with many intelligence and LE entities. This is dangerous in a time when simply being a Trump supporter or conservative Christian can land an American citizen on a ‘Domestic Extremist’ list. Whether or not it’s a violation of the 4th Amendment (just to name one constitutional right) is irrelevant when a regime is writing its own rules. You are responsible for your own security, and it’s time you take it seriously!
While this isn’t surprising, in fact it is to be expected, there are some great freedom-supporting services.
Protonmail (Switzerland)
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE JJS NOTE BELOW
*Protonmail TOR .onion site: https://protonmailrmez3lotccipshtkleegetolb73fuirgj7r4o4vfu7ozyd.onion/
Tutanota (Germany) – has similar architecture as Protonmail, but as of 2009 Germany is a third party 5I participant.
Tutanota’s website states that a .onion TOR website is in the works. I’m looking forward to that.
NOTE: Tutanota will automatically remove your account after 6 months inactivity. Be sure to log in regularly!
CTemplar (Iceland)
*CTemplar TOR .onion site: ctemplarpizuduxk3fkwrieizstx33kg5chlvrh37nz73pv5smsvl6ad.onion/
CounterMail (Sweden)
Criptext (Panama)
JJS NOTE: As I was drafting this posting this weekend, we became aware of Protonmail releasing IP addresses to authorities under a Swiss Legal Order, despite Protonmail’s previous claims that they do not log IP addresses. As far as I could tell from the ‘Clarification’ posting on Protonmail’s Blog, Protonmail received the legal order requiring them to log a particular member’s IP addresses who was under suspicion of a crime as an environmental activist. Remember, security is each individual’s responsibility. Additional tradecraft practices can be employed to enhance one’s security. In this particular case, the use of a VPN service, or the use of The Onion Router (TOR) Browser would have obscured the user’s IP address.
*There are two encrypted email services that I know of (Protonmail and CTemplar) which also host TOR websites, known as .onion sites. I strongly recommend using TOR to access your web-based email services, or a VPN service when using Thunderbird IMAP email connections. Protonmail offers both, an email service and a VPN service, all under one roof. For the very reason as mentioned above (Protonmail IP address story), I STRONGLY recommend a separate email service from your VPN service.
I recommend and use NordVPN.
Tutanota offers free email services, but you must login at least once every six months or they will delete your account. Head’s up.
Also, does anyone have any information on https://mail.disroot.org/ ?
when trying to download enigmail you get a prompt that it is not compatible with the latest version of thunderbird.
Enigmail is a plugin that comes available with Thunderbird. Go to the Menu on the upper right side of Thunderbird (looks like three horizontal lines), click on it. From the drop-down menu, click on ‘Add ons’ and then ‘Extensions’. Type ‘Enigmail’ in the search and when it appears, select it and add it to your extensions.