all-in-one privacy solution":["Proton Unlimited ist eine All-in-One-Datenschutzlösung"],"Black Friday":["Black Friday"],"No ads. Privacy by default.":["Keine Werbung. Privatsphäre als Standard."],"People before profits":["Menschen sind uns wichtiger als Gewinne"],"Security through transparency":["Sicherheit durch Transparenz"],"The best Proton Mail ${ BLACK_FRIDAY } deals":["Die besten Proton Mail-Angebote zum ${ BLACK_FRIDAY }"],"The world’s only community- supported email service":["Der weltweit einzige von der Community unterstützte E-Mail-Dienst"]},"specialoffer:limited":{"${ hours } hour":["${ hours } Stunde","${ hours } Stunden"],"${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } and ${ secondsLeft } left":["Nur noch ${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } und ${ secondsLeft }"],"${ minutes } minute":["${ minutes } Minute","${ minutes } Minuten"],"${ seconds } second":["${ seconds } Sekunde","${ seconds } Sekunden"],"Limited time offer":["Zeitlich befristetes Angebot"]},"specialoffer:listitem":{"Create multiple addresses":["Erstelle mehrere Adressen"],"Hide-my-email aliases":["Hide-my-email-Aliase"],"Quickly unsubscribe from newsletters":["Newsletter schnell abbestellen"],"Use your own domain name":["Verwende deine eigene Domain"]},"specialoffer:logos":{"As featured in":["Vorgestellt in"]},"specialoffer:metadescription":{"Get an encrypted email that protects your privacy":["Nutze einen verschlüsselte E-Mail-Dienst, der deine Privatsphäre schützt"]},"specialoffer:metatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday Sale - Up to 40% off":["Proton Mail Black Friday-Angebot – Bis zu 40 % Rabatt"]},"specialoffer:newmetadescription":{"Get up to 40% off Proton Mail subscriptions this Black Friday. Find great deals on our secure end-to-end encrypted email plans.":["Erhalte an diesem Black Friday bis zu 40 % Rabatt auf Proton Mail-Abonnements. Mache tolle Schnäppchen bei unseren sicheren, Ende-zu-Ende-verschlüsselten E-Mail-Abonnements."]},"specialoffer:newmetatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday sale | Up to 40% off secure email":["Proton Mail-Black-Friday-Angebot | Bis zu 40 % Rabatt auf sichere E-Mails"]},"specialoffer:note":{"* Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["* Zum Preis von ${ TOTAL_SUM } im ersten Jahr"],"*Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["*Zum Preis von ${ TOTAL_SUM } in den ersten zwei Jahren"],"30-day money-back guarantee":["30-tägige Geld-zurück-Garantie"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["Zum Preis von ${ TOTAL_SUM } in den ersten zwei Jahren"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["Zum Preis von ${ TOTAL_SUM } im ersten Jahr"],"You save ${ SAVE_SUM }":["Du sparst ${ SAVE_SUM }"]},"specialoffer:off":{"${ DISCOUNT } off":["− ${ DISCOUNT }"],"${ PERCENT_OFF } off":["− ${ PERCENT_OFF }"]},"specialoffer:testimonial":{"I love my ProtonMail":["Ich liebe mein ProtonMail"],"My favorite email service":["Mein Lieblings-E-Mail-Dienst"],"Thanks Proton for keeping us all safe in the complicated internet universe.":["Danke Proton, dass du uns alle im komplizierten Internet-Universum beschützt."],"You get what you pay for. In the case of big tech, if you pay nothing, you get used. I quit using Gmail and switched to @ProtonMail":["Du bekommst, wofür du bezahlst. Wenn du nichts bezahlst, wirst du bei der Nutzung von Big Tech ausgenutzt. Ich habe Gmail aufgegeben und bin zu @ProtonMail gewechselt"]},"specialoffer:time":{"Days":["Tage"],"Hours":["Stunden"],"Min":["Min."]},"specialoffer:title":{"And much more":["Und vieles mehr"],"Make your inbox yours":["Übernimm volle Kontrolle über deinen Posteingang"],"Safe from trackers":["Sicher vor Trackern"],"Stay organized":["Sorge für Ordnung"],"Black Friday email deals":["E-Mail-Angebote zum Black Friday"],"Don’t just take our word for it":["Verlasse dich nicht nur auf unser Wort"],"Our story":["Unsere Geschichte"],"Transfer your data from Google in one click":["Übertrage deine Daten von Google mit einem Klick"]},"specialoffer:tooltip":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES }+ countries, connect up to 10 devices, access worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Greife auf blockierte Inhalte zu und surfe privat. Umfasst ${ TOTAL_SERVERS } Server in über ${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES } Ländern, die Verbindung \nvon bis zu 10 Geräten, weltweite Streaming-Dienste, Malware- und Werbeblocker und mehr."],"Easily share your calendar with your family, friends or colleagues, and view external calendars.":["Teile deinen Kalender ganz einfach mit Verwandten, Freunden oder Kollegen und rufe externe Kalender auf."],"Includes support for 1 custom email domain, 10 email addresses, 10 hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Beinhaltet Unterstützung für eine eigene E-Mail-Domain, 10 E-Mail-Adressen, 10 „hide-my-email“-Aliasse, Kalenderfreigabe und mehr."],"Includes support for 3 custom email domains, 15 email addresses, unlimited hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Beinhaltet Unterstützung für 3 benutzerdefinierte E-Mail-Domänen, 15 E-Mail-Adressen, unbegrenzte „hide-my-email“-Aliase, Kalenderfreigabe und mehr."],"Manage up to 25 calendars, mobile apps, secured with end-to-end encryption, 1-click calendar import from Google, and more.":["Verwalte bis zu 25 Kalender, Ende zu Ende verschlüsselte mobile Apps, 1-Klick-Kalenderimporte von Google und vieles mehr."]},"Status Banner":{"At the moment we are experiencing issues with the Proton VPN service":["Im Moment gibt es Probleme mit dem Proton VPN-Dienst"],"Learn more":["Mehr erfahren"]},"Status banner":{"Learn more":["Mehr erfahren"],"Please note that at the moment we are experiencing issues with the ${ issues[0] } service.":["Bitte beachte, dass wir im Moment Probleme mit dem Dienst ${ issues[0] } haben."],"We are experiencing issues with one or more services at the moment.":["Im Moment gibt es Probleme mit einem oder mehreren Diensten."]},"suggestions":{"Suggestions":["Vorschläge"]},"Support":{"Sub category":["Unterkategorie","Unterkategorien"]},"Support article":{"${ readingTime } min":["${ readingTime } Min.","${ readingTime } Min."],"Category":["Kategorie","Kategorien"],"Didn’t find what you were looking for?":["Hast du nicht gefunden, wonach du gesucht hast?"],"General contact":["Allgemeiner Kontakt"],"Get help":["Hilfe erhalten"],"Legal contact":["Kontakt für Rechtliches"],"Media contact":["Kontakt für Medien"],"Partnerships contact":["Kontakt für Partnerschaften"],"Reading":["Lesen"]},"Support categories":{"Browse Proton product support":["Produkt-Support von Proton durchsuchen"]},"Support category":{"There is no article in this category yet.":["In dieser Kategorie gibt es noch keinen Artikel."]},"Support troubleshooting":{"--- Select ---":["--- Auswählen ---"],"App version":["App-Version"],"Browser":["Browser"],"Check if this helps":["Schau, ob das hilft."],"Choose a category for your question":["Wähle eine Kategorie für deine Frage aus."],"Choose a product":["Produkt auswählen"],"Did this solve your issue ?":["Hat dies dein Problem gelöst?"],"Faster assistance is just a few clicks away — please make your selections":["Schnellere Hilfe ist nur ein paar Klicks entfernt. Bitte triff deine Auswahl"],"No, contact support":["Nein, Support kontaktieren"],"Proton account":["Proton-Konto"],"Proton Bridge":["Proton Bridge"],"Proton Calendar":["Proton Calendar"],"Proton Drive":["Proton Drive"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Proton Mail":["Proton Mail"],"Proton Pass":["Proton Pass"],"Proton VPN":["Proton VPN"],"Thank you for your feedback":["Danke für dein Feedback"],"Troubleshooting":["Fehlerbehebung"],"What can we help with ?":["Wie können wir dir helfen?"],"Yes":["Ja"]},"support_modal_search_query":{"Search query":["Anfrage suchen"]},"support_search_button":{"Search":["Suchen"]},"support_search_i_am_looking_for":{"I'm looking for":["Ich suche"]},"SupportForm":{"For a faster resolution, please report the issue from the Bridge app: Help > Report a problem.":["Damit das Problem schneller gelöst werden kann, melde es bitte über die Bridge-App: Help > Report a problem (Hilfe > Problem melden)."],"Information":["Informationen"]},"SupportForm:option":{"Account Security":["Kontosicherheit"],"Contacts":["Kontakte"],"Custom email domain":["Benutzerdefinierte E-Mail-Domain"],"Email delivery and Spam":["E-Mail-Zustellung und Spam"],"Encryption":["Verschlüsselung"],"Login and password":["Anmeldung und Passwort"],"Merge aliases and accounts":["Zusammenführung von Aliassen und Konten"],"Migrate to Proton":["Migration zu Proton"],"Notifications":["Benachrichtigungen"],"Other":["Sonstiges"],"Plans and billing":["Abonnements und Abrechnung"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Sign up":["Registrierung"],"Storage":["Speicher"],"Users, addresses, and identities":["Benutzer, Adressen und Identitäten"]},"SupportForm:optionIntro":{"Select a topic":["Thema auswählen"]},"swiss_baseed_feature":{"Swiss based":["In der Schweiz ansässig"]},"Testimonial":{"Awards":["Auszeichnungen"],"Customers":["Kunden"],"Featured":["Empfohlen"],"Go to testimonial source":["Zur Referenzquelle wechseln"],"Reviews":["Bewertungen"],"Videos":["Videos"]},"Text":{"Find the plan that's right for you":["Finde das passende Abonnement"],"If you need help, check out our ${ supportLink }.":["Hilfe erhältst du in unserem ${ supportLink }."],"The page you’re looking for might have been removed, or it could be an\nold link.":["Die von dir gesuchte Seite wurde möglicherweise entfernt, oder es könnte sich um einen alten Link handeln."]},"Title":{"On this page":["Auf dieser Seite"],"Related articles":["Verwandte Artikel"],"Share ${ thisPage }":["${ thisPage } teilen"],"Thank you!":["Vielen Dank!"],"this page":["diese Seite"]},"Tooltip":{"More information":["Weitere Informationen"]},"tooltip_calendar":{"Create up to 20 custom & shareable encrypted calendars. On top of that, add up to 5 calendars from friends, family, colleagues, and organizations.":["Erstelle bis zu 20 benutzerdefinierte und teilbare verschlüsselte Kalender. Darüber hinaus kannst du bis zu 5 Kalender von Freunden, Familie, Kollegen und Organisationen hinzufügen."]},"tooltip_vpn":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES }+ countries, highest VPN speed, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } VPN connections, worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Greife auf blockierte Inhalte zu und surfe privat. Enthält über ${ TOTAL_SERVERS } Server in mehr als ${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES } Ländern, höchste VPN-Geschwindigkeiten, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } VPN-Verbindungen, weltweite Streaming-Dienste, Malware- und Werbeblocker und mehr."],"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES }+ countries, highest VPN speed, 10 VPN connections, worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Greife auf blockierte Inhalte zu und surfe privat. Enthält über ${ TOTAL_SERVERS } Server in mehr als ${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES } Ländern, höchste VPN-Geschwindigkeiten, 10 VPN-Verbindungen, weltweite Streaming-Dienste, Malware- und Werbeblocker und mehr."]},"version_history_label":{"Version history":["Versionsverlauf"]},"version_history_tooltip":{"Store up to ${ versionHistoryNumber } versions of each file for up to ${ years } years":["Speichere bis zu ${ versionHistoryNumber } Versionen jeder Datei für einen Zeitraum von bis zu ${ years } Jahren"]},"vpn_features_link":{"View VPN plans":["VPN-Abonnements anzeigen"]},"vpn_features_useCase":{"Access blocked content and browse privately":["Greife auf blockierte Inhalte zu und surfe privat"]}}},"unleashApi":"https://account.proton.me/api"};
// We need to import data (the framework context) from the server
// This Astro feature with define:vars works well but creates an inline script
// So we can't directly import the initFramework helper, we have to store the context
window.frameworkContext = frameworkContext;
})();
Proton Mail is designed to guard against a broad range of threats. But there is no such thing as perfect security. This threat model describes the threats Proton Mail can and cannot counter.
Updated Nov. 18, 2019, to remove reference to an outdated plugin recommendation.
Email is one of the most common modes of communication, but it is also one of least secure. First introduced in the 1980s, email was developed well before many threats of the modern Internet were even envisioned, much less understood. Despite its flaws, email is not going away any time soon and will continue to play a major role in our lives and our work. In view of email’s ubiquity and its drawbacks, we designed Proton Mail to mitigate many of the security and privacy vulnerabilities of email while preserving its ease of use.
Of course, there is no way to design a system that is 100% secure, and Proton Mail is no exception. Along the way, we have made many design decisions that sometimes prioritize security over usability, and other times usability over security. The result is a system that is vastly more private than the most popular free email services but nonetheless does not offer complete protection, as nothing can truly offer complete protection. In this article, we explain what Proton Mail is and isn’t designed to protect against so that you can make an informed choice about when to use Proton Mail for your communications.
Proton Mail security overview
Emails between Proton Mail users are always end-to-end encrypted, meaning only the sender and the recipient can read the email message. Encryption takes place on the sender’s device using the recipient’s public key. All messages (including messages to and from non-Proton Mail users) are also stored using zero-access encryption on our servers and therefore inaccessible to us. Private keys are encrypted using users’ account password in a way that is not accessible to us.
The use of strong encryption protects messages from many types of data exposure, including mass surveillance, government requests, and data breaches. This is different from other email providers, such as Google or Yahoo, which do retain the ability to read their users’ messages. This allows them to scan messages for advertising purposes or share them with third parties.
While Proton Mail does not have the ability to decrypt message contents or attachments, like any email service we have access to metadata (such as sender/recipient and subject lines), because without this information we could not deliver messages to their final destination. Because Proton Mail is based in Switzerland, this metadata remains under the protection of some of the world’s strongest privacy laws. However, if presented with a valid order from a Swiss court involving a case of criminal activity that is against Swiss law, Proton Mail can be compelled to share account metadata (but not message contents or attachments) with law enforcement.
Emails between Proton Mail accounts and non-Proton Mail accounts are also zero-access encrypted on our servers, but they are not end-to-end encrypted in transit, and copies stored on your recipient’s email service may be vulnerable to exposure. For example, if you send an email to somebody using Yahoo mail and Yahoo is breached, that message may be exposed through the recipient’s inbox. This is why for sensitive communications, we recommend that your contacts also utilize a Proton Mail account. Proton Mail does, however, offer the ability to send end-to-end encrypted emails to non-Proton Mail accounts through our outside encryption feature or through PGP (for advanced users).
What Proton Mail does not guard against
Compromised account or device
This is the most common type of compromise. Even if you use the world’s most secure electronic communication system, advanced encryption does you no good if your password has been compromised or there is a keylogger on your computer recording all of your keystrokes. Proton Mail does not and can not guard against a compromise of a user’s machine.
This is a far more difficult attack that can typically only be executed by a strong adversary (like a government) and is generally a targeted attack. An MITM attack cannot easily be used on a large scale to perform mass surveillance.
As the name suggests, an MITM is where an adversary sits between the user’s device and the server. Because Proton Mail messages are encrypted before they leave the user’s browser, an attacker cannot get message data by simply listening in on the communications. The attacker would have to actually send the user’s browser a modified version of the Proton Mail website, which may secretly pass the account password back to the attacker.
Fortunately, there are several ways to protect against an MITM attack. Proton Mail employs TLS to secure the delivery of our software to users’ browsers and prevent tampering of our code en route. Generally speaking, a successful MITM attack requires breaking TLS, typically by using a forged TLS certificate. There are browser plugins that can be used to detect forged certificates and greatly reduce the risk of an MITM attack. Using Proton Mail’s mobile apps and our desktop Bridge software may reduce the risk of MITM attacks as those environments are more difficult to compromise than web.
Proton Mail also features another anti-MITM feature called Address Verification. This allows users to “trust” the public key of a contact you have verified. This is a form of key-pinning that provides extra protection by detecting if a fake public key is delivered to your device for that contact. This feature gives Proton Mail higher security compared to other encrypted email services because you are protected against key tampering and the trust model is trust on first use instead of trust on every use. For highly sensitive communications, we recommend enabling Address Verification.
Another attack vector would be if an attacker somehow gained access to Proton Mail’s servers in Switzerland without us noticing. Such an attacker could conceivably change the Proton Mail software to send bad encryption code to users’ browsers that would somehow allow the attacker to get unencrypted data. Proton Mail has implemented numerous safeguards against this on the server level which make this a difficult attack to pull off successfully in an undetectable way.
Proton Mail recommended use cases
Proton Mail offers good (but not perfect) protection for the vast majority of users. There are, however, some risks for users facing a strong adversary, such as a government focusing all its resources on a very specific target. In such a case, we don’t think encryption would be of much benefit, as this XKCD comic would apply(new window).
Below are some examples of recommended and not recommended use cases for Proton Mail:
Recommended
Sensitive business communications
You have sensitive business information that you want to make sure is protected from competitors and other malicious parties. For example, you fear a competitor may want to sue you under false pretenses to get access to sensitive data. In this case, Proton Mail offers a great deal of protection. Proton Mail will not release any data unless provided with a valid order from the Swiss authorities. Even if an adversary went through the expensive and time-consuming procedure of obtaining such an order, Proton Mail’s zero-access cryptography means we would not be able to release decrypted data, apart from metadata.
Anyone with privacy concerns
Proton Mail is also perfect for an individual (or corporation) that does NOT want the government to have access to all of their emails at any time, and does not like Google or Microsoft constantly scanning and archiving all conversations. With Proton Mail, the barrier of entry for mass surveillance is high enough that mass surveillance simply is not practical. This is an example where ‘good privacy’ can act as a meaningful substitute to ‘perfect privacy.’
Organizations with data security needs
Proton Mail can help organizations comply with data privacy regulations. Our encryption meets the standard set out by the GDPR(new window) for technical measures to protect personal data. Our zero-access encryption also greatly reduces the risk of a data breach, and significantly reduces the impact of a breach in the unlikely event that there were to be a breach.
If you are attempting to leak state secrets (as was the case of Edward Snowden) or going up against a powerful state adversary, email may not be the most secure medium for communications. The Internet is generally not anonymous, and if you are breaking Swiss law, a law-abiding company such as Proton Mail can be legally compelled to log your IP address. A powerful state adversary will also be better positioned to launch one of the attacks described above against you, which may negate the privacy protection provided by Proton Mail. While we can offer more protection and security, we cannot guarantee your safety against a powerful adversary.
Conclusion
We would like to conclude with a few thoughts about privacy and surveillance in general. Some people make the assertion that if you are not a criminal, there is no need for privacy. A very powerful counterargument to that, which we recommend everybody watch, can be found here.(new window)
There are also critics who assert that by building Proton Mail, we are providing a tool for criminals to evade the authorities. Like any technology, Proton Mail can be used for good or bad. However, the vast majority of our users are individuals seeking greater control over their data, or journalists and activists living under authoritarian regimes where freedom of speech and privacy are not respected. The truth about data security is that there is no middle ground: any weakening of encryption will make all of us less secure.
We can either choose to live in a world where everybody is under surveillance, or a world where everybody (criminals included) has privacy. We feel that the right to privacy is a fundamental human right, and we are willing to fight and work toward protecting that right.
If you’re a United States citizen or permanent resident, you have a Social
Security number (SSN). This number is the linchpin of much of your existence,
linked to everything from your tax records to your credit cards. Theft is a
massive problem, whic
Compromised passwords are a common issue and probably one of the biggest
cybersecurity threats for regular people. How do passwords get compromised, and
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WeTransfer is a popular service used by millions worldwide to send large files.
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Dictionary attacks are a common method hackers use to try to crack passwords and
break into online accounts.
While these attacks may be effective against people with poor account security,
it’s extremely easy to protect yourself against them by usi
Datenpannen sind zunehmend alltäglich. Immer wenn du dich für einen
Online-Dienst anmeldest, gibst du persönliche Informationen preis, die für
Hacker wertvoll sind, wie E-Mail-Adressen, Passwörter, Telefonnummern und mehr.
Leider sichern viele Online
Sichere, nahtlose Kommunikation ist das Fundament jedes Unternehmens. Da immer
mehr Organisationen ihre Daten mit Proton sichern, haben wir unser Ökosystem mit
neuen Produkten und Dienstleistungen erheblich erweitert, vom Passwortmanager
bis zum Dark