[LINK] Encryption Tool for Webmail (Mirrasoft Armacrypt)

[Roger Clarke]

Webmail all locked up
LIA TIMSON
Icon, Sydney Morning Herald and elsewhere
April 20, 2010
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/webmail-all-locked-up-20100419-sp9c.html

A New Aussie-developed browser plug-in promises to protect webmail 
content from computer hackers and block keyword-related advertising.

It works by encrypting email messages at the user's computer via a 
browser toolbar. Recipients need to download a free version of the 
software - called Armacrypt - to decrypt messages. Emails remain 
encrypted while in transit and in storage on mail servers.

It also prevents Google Adwords from filtering email text and serving 
related keyword advertisements on the webmail page. Instead, Adwords 
serves generic ads and encryption links.

Armacrypt was developed by Victoria-based Mirrasoft after an inquiry 
from a Canadian government agency planning to move from Microsoft 
Office to Google applications, including Gmail. The software company 
already sells encryption software for Microsoft Outlook.

"It was the inquiry that prompted us to do what we had already been 
thinking about," the director of Mirrasoft, Warren Killeen, says.

"As people start to use webmail more and more, we felt they needed this."

The plug-in works on Internet Explorer and Firefox for Gmail, 
Hotmail, Outlook Web Access, Yahoo Mail and AOL email services. 
Another version for the Google Chrome browser is planned for later 
this year.

Armacrypt uses 256-bit AES encryption and is different to the 
optional SSL encryption provided by Gmail, which protects the 
send-receive connection (as shown by the https handle), not the text.

The uptake of email encryption to date has been limited to large 
corporations or those with highly confidential correspondence to 
protect, such as in the legal profession.

A senior research analyst with the Australian Institute of 
Criminology, Dr Raymond Choo, says the hacking of climate 
researchers' email accounts in Britain and former US 
vice-presidential hopeful Sarah Palin's account in the US showed 
people should be concerned about their emails.

"The increased variety and volume of attacks is inevitable given 
cybercriminals' desire to obtain personal and confidential 
information," Choo says.

"It is generally understood that people are the weakest link in 
attempts to secure systems and networks.

"Although no single technology can completely mitigate cyber-security 
risks, email encryption helps to ensure that confidential information 
is rendered useless to criminals in the event of an email account 
breach."

A Google Australia spokeswoman says the company does not provide 
encryption of data "to help preserve the speed and functionality 
people expect from Gmail".

Instead, it uses other technologies and security methods to protect 
the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the data, she says.


-- 
Roger Clarke                                 http://www.rogerclarke.com/
			            
Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
                    Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916
mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au                http://www.xamax.com.au/

Visiting Professor in the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre      Uni of NSW
Visiting Professor in Computer Science    Australian National University