E-Mail Security While Cruising
I suppose we all have this issue, but being cruisers we may not have
as many alternatives as land dwellers.
I send e-mails and instant messages (IM) to several people while I
cruise, and vice-versa. There are many cases, and on a regular basis,
where the content is sensitive for any number of reasons. Here's the
rub. E-mails and IM's sent to people that primarily use their
computer at work or the laptop is provided by the employer, the
employers are now going to be required by law to keep the messages for
legal reasons. They have the right, as I understand even before this
to examine content of many of these as we speak.
Many of my comm buddies and friends have separate, personal e-mail
addresses, so that solves the problem of not sending personal e-mails
to work e-mail addresses. However, if they use the laptop, or phone
PDA, or read those e-mails on their work provided laptop they may well
be read and will be stored by the employer. Where the person is on the
road on a regular basis, it is almost inevitable that they will have
to use the laptop just to make necessary communications with family
and friends.
First question: Short of carrying another laptop or using a third
party computer such as at Kinko's how do we communicate via e-mail or
IM securely?
Second: Is there a reasonably priced, easy to use scambling software
that is available that could be used to protect the content? I
realize that most are breakable by the government, with code keys,
etc. but we are talking non-criminal communications that we are
wanting to protect from casual perusal.
Third: Would using such software be merely a red flag for the company
to look at the communications in more detail of those persons using
it?
It appears that even if you are checking e-mails from home, etc. even
after working hours you are going to be subject to having those
e-mails/IM's read if the computer is work supplied. One of the
primary rationale of having the computers issued to employees is to
generate more productive time, and give them more flexibility on
communications, and allow them to be able to function on the road and
away from the office better. If you are not allowed any type of
secure usage then the value to the company and employee is greatly
reduced and calls for the employee to find other expensive and
cumbersome alternatives for communication that are private. This
definitely seems to be a right to privacy issue and beyond the scope
of crusing applications discussion.
So, how do we communicate with family and friends via e-mail or IM
privately? I know phone and in person. But, the issues are directly
related to the ease of use for cruisers and the inability at times to
be able to reach/communicate with people on a timely basis while
cruising. E-mail just works great for many of our communication modes
and activities.
I probably did not put this very eloquently, but I think most will
understand the underlying problem of wanting to keep our private
communications ... private.
Thanks for the input. The list is great and generous with their
expertise and comments as always. Thanks to all in advance and have a
Happy Holidays.
--
Best regards,
Michael Liddle
53' Navigator
Michael;
Time marches on, and progress creates change ! I admit to having mixed
emotions about this new law. However, the employer really only has two
options........ to act, or not act on a particular communication.
They would act for two reasons :
-
Non work communication is prohibited from a work station. Probably
not an unreasonable request. Especially with so many different forms of
communication available to us today. -
The communication is sensitive enough to warrant action.
They would not act because :
- They don't care
- Waaay too many emails to peruse. They just save them, or, have
scanning capabilities to see if it fits into number 2 above
If you send communication that they would act on, shame on you. if you
send communication they would not act on, no big deal (other than it may
be saved for the next 40 years). We just need to make adjustments like
we have always done
I guess what comes to my mind is, what type of communication is
sensitive enough for you to want to scramble it ?
Jeff
Michael Liddle wrote:
I suppose we all have this issue, but being cruisers we may not have
as many alternatives as land dwellers.
I send e-mails and instant messages (IM) to several people while I
cruise, and vice-versa. There are many cases, and on a regular basis,
where the content is sensitive for any number of reasons. Here's the
rub. E-mails and IM's sent to people that primarily use their
computer at work or the laptop is provided by the employer, the
employers are now going to be required by law to keep the messages for
legal reasons. They have the right, as I understand even before this
to examine content of many of these as we speak.
Many of my comm buddies and friends have separate, personal e-mail
addresses, so that solves the problem of not sending personal e-mails
to work e-mail addresses. However, if they use the laptop, or phone
PDA, or read those e-mails on their work provided laptop they may well
be read and will be stored by the employer. Where the person is on the
road on a regular basis, it is almost inevitable that they will have
to use the laptop just to make necessary communications with family
and friends.
First question: Short of carrying another laptop or using a third
party computer such as at Kinko's how do we communicate via e-mail or
IM securely?
Second: Is there a reasonably priced, easy to use scambling software
that is available that could be used to protect the content? I
realize that most are breakable by the government, with code keys,
etc. but we are talking non-criminal communications that we are
wanting to protect from casual perusal.
Third: Would using such software be merely a red flag for the company
to look at the communications in more detail of those persons using
it?
It appears that even if you are checking e-mails from home, etc. even
after working hours you are going to be subject to having those
e-mails/IM's read if the computer is work supplied. One of the
primary rationale of having the computers issued to employees is to
generate more productive time, and give them more flexibility on
communications, and allow them to be able to function on the road and
away from the office better. If you are not allowed any type of
secure usage then the value to the company and employee is greatly
reduced and calls for the employee to find other expensive and
cumbersome alternatives for communication that are private. This
definitely seems to be a right to privacy issue and beyond the scope
of crusing applications discussion.
So, how do we communicate with family and friends via e-mail or IM
privately? I know phone and in person. But, the issues are directly
related to the ease of use for cruisers and the inability at times to
be able to reach/communicate with people on a timely basis while
cruising. E-mail just works great for many of our communication modes
and activities.
I probably did not put this very eloquently, but I think most will
understand the underlying problem of wanting to keep our private
communications ... private.
Thanks for the input. The list is great and generous with their
expertise and comments as always. Thanks to all in advance and have a
Happy Holidays.
--
Jeff
39.42.411 N
82.59.444 W
PGP makes very good encryption software. Basic desktop package is about $65.
Everybody you communicate with will have to have one though. They have
various other packages depending on how much security you want.
http://www.pgp.com/
Keith
Why is "phonics" not spelled the way it sounds?
Beware...I appear to be in an argumentative mood this morning...
...but I think most
will understand the underlying problem of wanting to keep our
private communications ... private.
What makes you think that phone calls and mobile calls are any more
private than email?
Ignoring the political discussions of wire-tapping, etc., it isn't
that difficult to listen to other people's conversations with
some basic amateur radio electronics and a PC. ...or a set
of alligator clips on the outside of a house.
If email has to go to someone working in an office that doesn't
allow personal email, they can easily get a gmail account and
keep all personal email separate. The email can be viewed
in a web browser and doesn't have to be downloaded and stored
locally.
If you really need to encrypt email messages, there are many
ways to do that - commercially and free. I'm not sure that
there are all that many times when encryption is actually needed
though.
================
Jeffrey Siegel
M/V aCappella
DeFever 53PH
W1ACA/WDB4350
Castine, Maine
As I recall Windows Write has an encrypt option.
Mike
Capt. Mike Maurice
Beaverton Oregon(Near Portland)
SNIP Here's the
rub. E-mails and IM's sent to people that primarily use their
computer at work or the laptop is provided by the employer, the
employers are now going to be required by law to keep the messages for
legal reasons. They have the right, as I understand even before this
to examine content of many of these as we speak.
Many of my comm buddies and friends have separate, personal e-mail
addresses, so that solves the problem of not sending personal e-mails
to work e-mail addresses. However, if they use the laptop, or phone
PDA, or read those e-mails on their work provided laptop they may well
be read and will be stored by the employer. Where the person is on the
road on a regular basis, it is almost inevitable that they will have
to use the laptop just to make necessary communications with family
and friends.
Reply and Question - is a new law coming on the books that require
corporations to archive all email. My little company was acquired by one of
the big 6 banks and there policy is to delete all email and not keep any
after ninety days! Unless of course directed by HR because of some legal
problem. In fact they don't want any type of documents archived!
The amount of email that goes through a company out strips any IT
department's capability of monitoring email and this goes for web browsing
as well. Usually a manager asks HR to monitor an employee and HR contacts IT
to run some traces.
Companies use a number of rules and systems to keep abuse down. First an
employee manual outlining that you might be terminated for using IT
resources for personal use, proxy servers that keep employees from getting
to a lot of questionable web sites put people on somewhat of a honor system.
Just my experience in this arena.
Jeff on Southern Nights