Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: SSL for connections to IMAP/SMTP Servers

  1. #1
    radix lecti dave87's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    England
    Posts
    12,806
    Thanks
    657
    Thanked
    931 times in 634 posts
    • dave87's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus
      • CPU:
      • i5 3470k under Corsair H80 WC
      • Memory:
      • 8gb DDR3
      • Storage:
      • 240gb SSD + 120gb SSD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Asus HD7950
      • PSU:
      • XFX 600w Modular
      • Case:
      • Lian Li PC-A05FNB + Acoustipack
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • 2x Dell S2309W (1920x1080)
      • Internet:
      • BT Infinity Option 2

    SSL for connections to IMAP/SMTP Servers

    Does it provide any tangible benefit to security? I understand that it only secures the link between my device (PC/Mobile/Tablet etc) and the mail server, not the leg that it takes to get to the mail server, so is it worth doing?

    If it were free, then I'd be using it already, but my hosting provider wants one price for a self signed certificate for a year, and double that for a paid certificate (Verisign et al?)...

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Norfolk
    Posts
    474
    Thanks
    3
    Thanked
    26 times in 26 posts
    • pipTheGeek's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus P6T Deluxe
      • CPU:
      • Core i7 920 @ 3.6GHz
      • Memory:
      • 3 * 2Gb Corsair XMS @ DDR3 1800
      • Storage:
      • 300GB 15K SAS + 500Gb
      • Graphics card(s):
      • GTX570
      • PSU:
      • corsair 760i
      • Case:
      • Corsair 550d
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell Alienware 23"
      • Internet:
      • VM 50Mb

    Re: SSL for connections to IMAP/SMTP Servers

    Securing the link between you and the mail server can be useful if you are sending clear text user name and password to the mail server. If you can use SPA (Secure Password Authentication) then I don't think it is much benefit. Although, I have no idea how likely it is that someone would sniff the clear text credentials.

  3. #3
    Comfortably Numb directhex's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    /dev/urandom
    Posts
    17,074
    Thanks
    228
    Thanked
    1,027 times in 678 posts
    • directhex's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus ROG Strix B550-I Gaming
      • CPU:
      • Ryzen 5900x
      • Memory:
      • 64GB G.Skill Trident Z RGB
      • Storage:
      • 2TB Seagate Firecuda 520
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 XC3 Ultra
      • PSU:
      • EVGA SuperNOVA 850W G3
      • Case:
      • NZXT H210i
      • Operating System:
      • Ubuntu 20.04, Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • LG 34GN850
      • Internet:
      • FIOS

    Re: SSL for connections to IMAP/SMTP Servers

    Do you care if the mail server you're sending from/to isn't really your mail server?

  4. #4
    HEXUS webmaster Steve's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    14,276
    Thanks
    292
    Thanked
    837 times in 473 posts

    Re: SSL for connections to IMAP/SMTP Servers

    If you trust the server and don't want your auth details snooped, it's a good idea. But as you've rightly pointed out, the transit between other SMTP servers will probably be plaintext, but those hops won't contain your login details anyway.
    PHP Code:
    $s = new signature();
    $s->sarcasm()->intellect()->font('Courier New')->display(); 

  5. #5
    Comfortably Numb directhex's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    /dev/urandom
    Posts
    17,074
    Thanks
    228
    Thanked
    1,027 times in 678 posts
    • directhex's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus ROG Strix B550-I Gaming
      • CPU:
      • Ryzen 5900x
      • Memory:
      • 64GB G.Skill Trident Z RGB
      • Storage:
      • 2TB Seagate Firecuda 520
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 XC3 Ultra
      • PSU:
      • EVGA SuperNOVA 850W G3
      • Case:
      • NZXT H210i
      • Operating System:
      • Ubuntu 20.04, Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • LG 34GN850
      • Internet:
      • FIOS

    Re: SSL for connections to IMAP/SMTP Servers

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve View Post
    If you trust the server and don't want your auth details snooped, it's a good idea. But as you've rightly pointed out, the transit between other SMTP servers will probably be plaintext, but those hops won't contain your login details anyway.
    The other one, of course, is WiFi.

    Public WiFi is unencrypted. Do you care if anyone sat within a few dozen metres of you can read your email just by firing up wireshark?

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •