Sending encrypted emails with Guard

Note

To use the functions described in this article, you need to have the mailbox Guard activated.

To send a PGP-encrypted email in the mailbox web client, select New email. In the composing dialogue, click the lock icon:

Sending an encrypted email

If a matching PGP key for the recipient is available, you will see the PGP symbol with a golden key next to the recipient address. The mailbox Guard will automatically encrypt your email:

PGP symbol with a key next to the recipient address – the email is automatically encrypted by the mailbox Guard.

The Guard searches for PGP keys in the following sources:

1. in the internal key directory of all mailbox users who have activated the Guard
2. in your own keyring with public keys of your communication partners.
   You manage the keyring yourself (via All settings > Your recipient keys). There you can also import keys of your communication partners.
3. in Family or Business accounts: in the keys provided by other Guard users of your context.

What happens if the recipient does not use PGP?

If no matching PGP key for a recipient was found, the Guard will display this with a green person icon next to the email address:

Green person icon next to the email address – the recipient does not use PGP, the mailbox Guard indicates this accordingly.

Here: Next to the email address of the recipient and the result of the transport encryption check

To still enable you to communicate securely and in encrypted form with this recipient, a temporary mailbox will be created for them on our server.