Unfortunately, there is no one way that everyone can use S/MIME and PGP for email encryption, meaning these do not provide a uniform solution for all users.įor end users, email encryption simply needs to work. The actual integration of email encryption with S/MIME and PGP depends on the individual circumstances of the person who wants to encrypt. Email is used in many forms: there are email programmes that can be installed on an operating system directly as well as internet browsers that can access various email clients. What makes the use of S/MIME and PGP even more difficult in the private sector is that there is no 'one S/MIME' or 'one PGP' that can be used for email encryption. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for private users It may therefore be necessary to make the extra effort to use both encryption methods in parallel. In order to protect their own emails by encrypting them with S/MIME or PGP, enterprises or users must first decide which method they want to use– and then clarify whether they can do so with their respective contact partner. In Practice: S/MIME and PGP for encrypting emails in private and business communication S/MIME and PGP: not compatible with each otherįirst of all, it is important to know that the email encryption methods S/MIME and PGP are not compatible with each other.

The reason becomes clear when you take a closer look at how S/MIME and PGP actually work and what business requirements they fulfil. But despite this, neither method has been able to support companies in encrypting their business communication across the board. Properly implemented strong crypto systems are one of the few things that you can rely on.Ĭompanies therefore need email encryption – and with S/MIME and PGP, solutions for this purpose have been available for decades. It enables companies to protect their most valuable resource – their own data – from unauthorised access. However, for business communication that regularly contains sensitive data, email must first be made secure. After all, it is the medium that everyone knows and uses. Both methods have existed since the 1990s, but to date they have not been able to gain widespread acceptance, either in the private sphere or in business correspondence.įor companies, email is still the communication medium of choice and it is impossible to imagine today's business world without it. S/MIME and PGP are the best-known and most 'common' solutions for email encryption. Encrypted communication is an important contribution to the prevention of cyber incidents and data breaches. Cyber incidents are one of the most significant risks for companies.

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