Truly private email: GPG

[Jason Barnett]

For those of you that want truly private emails there is an answer: GPG. The technology is complex, but here is the basic way that it works:

I download GPG and use it to create a "secret key" and I am the only person in the world with this secret key. At the same time I create a "public key"; this is something that I give to other people that tells them who I am. This public key is also unique to me and this is what I need to give to my friends.

I then go meet up with someone in person and we prove who we are (photo ID, or maybe we have known each other for years). I give them my unique "public key" so that they can send secret messages to me. They also need to give their "public key" to me so that I can send secret messages to them.

I now go back home. I write a message to my friend using the "public key" that they gave to me. GPG the encrypts the message so that it looks like gobbledy gook to the human eye. However, when my friend receives the message they will be able to decrypt it and read the secret message just like any other email. But the only way they can read it is if they have their unique "secret key". Result? My friend and I can communicate with each other over email and no one can read our messages.

Very cool stuff. If you are interested in this topic I highly suggest you google for "encryption email GPG" for more information on how this stuff works.

Some things to remember:
1. You can only send / receive secret messages if both people are using encryption.
2. If you lose your secret key you can *never* read any of your messages. Ever. So don't lose it!
3. You should never store your secret key on a computer that is connected to the internet. Either store it on a different computer or better yet on a portable USB disk.