Did you know that an average person spends around 2 hours daily checking their emails? This proves that email is a vital part of our lives. While this communication method is valuable and efficient, it is not very secure, which is why sharing some sensitive information becomes a little riskier.

Yes, as surprising as it sounds, email is one of the easiest ways hackers can access your personal or professional data. Therefore, having a secure email free from malicious or suspicious activities is the need of the hour. 

It is important to search for a provider that offers email security to find the best-secured option. These secure email providers ensure encrypted communication and protect sensitive information from cyber threats and unauthorized access.

Let us discuss the importance of a secured email and its associated providers below. 

Understanding Secure Email Providers

A secure email provider helps keep your email account and the content of your emails secure. This usually happens with the help of a technique called end-to-end encryption. The email is encrypted on its entire journey from the sender to the recipient.

However, you will find no standard definition of a secure email. That is because any email provider can call itself secure because of the advanced features it provides to the users. For that reason, you have to pay attention to the type of encryption and other security practices when you choose a secure email provider. 

The providers who offer email security may also use the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) to authenticate emails and protect you. Here, when someone tries to send an email on your behalf that is not from a validated IP address, the receiver will be notified that it came from a non-authorized user. This means that they will have the choice to reject it.

Besides choosing a secure email service provider, you need to ensure that you choose a safe and appropriate domain. Mostly free domain names are suspicious, that’s why, it is better to go with paid domain names that are under budget. 

What Protocols Ensure Email Security?

Emails are not secured, but by adopting robust protocols, users can ensure safe and secure email communication. Let’s find out some ways for email security:

1. Encryption

When it comes to secure email, there are different types of end-to-end encryption—  asymmetric or symmetric encryption. 

Asymmetric encryption is also called public-key cryptography or encryption. It involves using two unique sets of keys to encrypt the data. Symmetric encryption, on the other hand, uses a single key to encrypt and decrypt your data, which must be in the hands of both the sender and the receiver. 

2. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

You must also ensure that your account credentials are protected and choose strong encryption. The best way to do this is to select an email security provider with two-factor authentication. 

This means that stealing your password is not enough to hack your email account. You will also need another form of authentication.

One factor can be your email password; the other can be a one-time password sent to your contact number. Another common form of two-factor authentication is that a code is visible on your desktop screen, and you must enter that code on your mobile phone. Google uses this type of 2FA when users want to access their Gmail account on a different device. 

3. Metadata Header Stripping

An email contains metadata about the sender’s computer, browser, and network, including the recipient. If you are still concerned about the security of your messages, all you need to do is approach a secure email provider that strips this information out. 

4. Set Expiration Dates

The average user neglects to remove emails from their private mailbox. You never know how long the crucial data you pass on to the recipient could end up there months later. Therefore, you can set the expiration date so that the email expires after a specific period, even for the receiver. 

One of the best ways is to use a temporary email. For instance, 10-Minute Mail gives a custom email address that is valid only for 10 minutes. During the 10-minute period, you can receive any message in your inbox and send emails as well, but once the time expires, the inbox and all the emails received in it will be permanently deleted. 

Things to Consider While Selecting a Secure Email Provider

While selecting a secure email provider, you must consider a few things to make the best choice.

1. Encrypted Features

A standard email provider might provide you with several features and functionalities. For instance, you always get a Google Calendar and Google Drive with Gmail. Meanwhile, a few other secure email providers offer similar features. 

The only difference is that a few of them are encrypted. For instance, you may get a secure calendar or cloud storage with a provider. Hence, it is up to you to decide which secure email provider you want to go with based on their respective features. 

2. Usability on Mobile and Desktop

Consider the user interface on both mobile and desktop while switching to a secured email for data encryption. You should choose an email provider that works well on mobile and desktop. The service provider should offer feature-rich webmail and Android and iOS apps. 

You cannot always add a secure provider to your respective mail client apps. This is yet another factor to check when switching to either platform. The best option for email security is usually a secure email provider that is compatible with both mobile and desktop and integrates well with other apps. 

3. Open Source

Open-source software makes its respective source code available for all users and developers. This means that any user can examine the product’s code to ensure it is secure. Several secure email providers are equipped with this open-source software. So, choose the one with these advanced features for enhanced email security and transparency. 

Top Secure Email Providers

Now that you understand the importance of having a secure email, let's delve deeper and learn more about the top secure email providers who can help you with the process.

1. Neo

Neo is a leading and secure business email provider. The platform is ideal for small businesses that want to enhance their brand and expand in the market. The best part about Neo is that it offers a unique .co.site domain for all businesses that do not have a domain. 

Regarding email security, Neo offers a data encryption feature to ensure that communication remains secure between the sender and the recipient. This feature secures the data in transit and at rest with 256-bit ciphers. 

The platform implements two-factor authentication to ensure that no one else can access your emails or hack them. Neo also comes with advanced antivirus and anti-spam to ensure your emails remain protected. 

Key Features

• Free customizable domain for one year (renewal rates apply)
• Read receipts for reporting and analytics
• Pre-made email templates
• Follow-up reminders
• Priority inbox and Gen AI-powered tool, Smart Write
• Library of pre-designed one-page website templates
• Mail-integrated forms, WhatsApp, and social media integration

2. ProtonMail

ProtonMail is another well-known secure email provider. It is an open-source platform that also provides you with end-to-end asymmetric encryption. You can use ProtonMail for free if you wish to send fewer than 150 messages daily and do not require a lot of storage. However, you may have to switch to its premium version if the case is otherwise.

Key Features

• End-to-end encryption
• No personal information is required for account creation
• Self-destructing emails
• Open-source cryptography
• Easy-to-use interface

3. Mailbox

Mailbox is a secure email service that caters to business users who often want an alternative to Google or Microsoft tools. In addition to email, the platform also offers encrypted cloud storage, an address book, a calendar, video conferencing, and a task planner.

A unique thing about this email provider is that it uses PGP encryption, which is a public-key encryption program that has become standard for email encryption.

Key Features

• Server based in Germany
• PGP encryption
• Encrypted cloud storage
• Video conferencing
• In-built calendar

4. HubSpot Email 

HubSpot is known for its all-in-one business solution that offers email hosting, marketing services, customer support, and content management, to name a few. When it comes to email security, the platform’s tools provide different security measures to ensure your data is safe and secure. You can authenticate your mail using different authentication standards, like DKIM, DMARC, SPF, etc. 

Key Features

• Two-factor authentication (2FA)
• Single sign-on (SSO) for Enterprises
• SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and BIMI authentication standards
• Email recall
• All-in-one CRM solution
• Data sync with Marketing, Sales, Service Hub

5. Zoho Mail

Zoho Mail’s service is valuable for business users. Its special workplace plan offers spreadsheet software, a webinar platform, a chat feature, a word processor, and other important collaboration tools.

The platform also encrypts your emails in transit and on the servers with asymmetric cryptography, called S/MIME. It also offers a digital signature unique to each user to ensure the email is not spoofed.

Key Features

• Servers located around the world
• End-to-end encryption
• Calendar
• Contact portal
• Collaboration tools
• Email recall

Neo Ratings: Comparison Table

Now that we know about the important features of all the secure email providers let us make a comparison in the table below.

Wrapping up, 

Having a secure email has become necessary in today’s world, especially when cybercriminals are always behind your back to hack important information. The best thing to do here is to approach an efficient and secure email service provider that understands your needs and offers you safety. This way, you can keep spam messages at bay and even prevent hackers from accessing your user account. 

One such platform that promises email security is Neo. It ensures you get a unique, custom domain and offers other safety features, like 256-bit cipher encryption and two-factor authentication. So, switch to Neo today and ensure you have the best secure email for communication purposes. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How advantageous is a secured email?

With end-to-end encryption and 2FA, emails are often considered to be secure at every stage of delivery. These emails cannot be read even by email servers. This makes it very difficult for cyber criminals like hackers to compromise sensitive information or siphon other links and attachments from the same email.

2. How do I ensure maximum email security?

You can ensure your email is secure by following some basic but important rules. 

• Make sure not to open any unexpected attachments. 
• Use spam filters to identify suspicious or malicious emails. 
• You must also avoid sending any sensitive data by email to prevent leaking the same on the dark web. 
• Most importantly, avoid clicking on links in the body of an email message. 

You can also seek the help of a secure email provider, like Neo, which commits itself to providing you with a safe email platform. 

3. Which is the best secure email provider?

You will find several email providers in the market that promise you optimal email security. However, you must consider several considerations when selecting the one that suits your business requirements. 

For instance, you must check if the platform offers you encrypted emails or multi-factor authentication to prevent hacking or malicious messaging. Neo is one such platform that offers you such advanced features.  

4. What damage can a hacker do to your email?

Hackers can steal crucial business information, such as your social or professional network, for phishing campaigns or other sensitive data about the company’s financials.