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Thread: Password protected emails

  1. #1
    Funking Prink! Raz316's Avatar
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    Password protected emails

    Hi everyone

    I've been asked to look into whether it's possible to password protect an email so that a password has to be entered to read the content. Ideally, the recipient (members of the public; so varying computer skills) will not have to modify their email client at all to perform this.

    The most popular solution googling seems to show is, attach a password protected document and go from there, but I'd like to avoid this as it relies on the recipient having certain document reading software.

    My suggested solution was to email them a link to our website, once the password is correctly entered, the message is shown. But the powers that be are keen to avoid this if possible.

    Personally, I can't see anything easier/quicker than my solution, but if anyone out there thinks otherwise, please let me know.

    Ta!
    -Chris

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    Senior Member watercooled's Avatar
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    Re: Password protected emails

    All I can think of is using something like GnuPG for PGP which would require the user to install an add on - this way uses public key (asymmetric) encryption so there is no need to share a password. Alternatively you could, as you said, put a file into an encrypted archive but to do that the user would still need software to extract the archive - password protection in zip files is no longer supported under Windows. However, you could use something like 7zip and create a self-extracting archive which would basically extract itself but that means it would be an .exe which some email services don't like.

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    Senior[ish] Member Singh400's Avatar
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    Re: Password protected emails

    What about using something like PasteBin and password protecting that entry on PasteBin and then linking to that particular entry in the email?

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    mush-mushroom b0redom's Avatar
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    Re: Password protected emails

    A weblink is by far the easiest way. You can provide the end users their own unique username and password if needs be (to prevent content leaking).

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    Re: Password protected emails

    You can use 7zip to encrypt with a password and then create a self extracting executable. Very secure and free.

    There is a solution called voltage that we use which uses the link idea, but it's quite expensive. Cost us about £5k.

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    Senior Member watercooled's Avatar
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    Re: Password protected emails

    Quote Originally Posted by watercooled View Post
    However, you could use something like 7zip and create a self-extracting archive which would basically extract itself but that means it would be an .exe which some email services don't like.
    Quote Originally Posted by InkZ View Post
    You can use 7zip to encrypt with a password and then create a self extracting executable. Very secure and free.
    But yeah 7zip would be a good move unless an email provider on the way blocked .exe files which a lot do unfortunately...

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    Gentoo Ricer
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    Re: Password protected emails

    Quote Originally Posted by Raz316 View Post
    Hi everyone

    I've been asked to look into whether it's possible to password protect an email so that a password has to be entered to read the content. Ideally, the recipient (members of the public; so varying computer skills) will not have to modify their email client at all to perform this.

    The most popular solution googling seems to show is, attach a password protected document and go from there, but I'd like to avoid this as it relies on the recipient having certain document reading software.

    My suggested solution was to email them a link to our website, once the password is correctly entered, the message is shown. But the powers that be are keen to avoid this if possible.

    Personally, I can't see anything easier/quicker than my solution, but if anyone out there thinks otherwise, please let me know.

    Ta!
    -Chris
    So your boss wants you to do something which no operating system does by default, and the user doesn't have to install software for it to work, and wants to put no infrastructure behind it to make it work?.. Sounds like managerial level thinking to me.

    Honestly, it's better if these protected files are hosted on the webserver and delivered over an SSL connection. People who treat email as an FTP mechanism should be shot.
    Quote Originally Posted by Agent View Post
    ...every time Creative bring out a new card range their advertising makes it sound like they have discovered a way to insert a thousand Chuck Norris super dwarfs in your ears...

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    Re: Password protected emails

    Quote Originally Posted by watercooled View Post
    But yeah 7zip would be a good move unless an email provider on the way blocked .exe files which a lot do unfortunately...
    I used this method with some success by renaming the file to .xls for example and then putting instructions in the email to rename it back.

    We get a lot of data from the big banks and you'd be supprised how many are using this method.

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    Senior Member Blastuk's Avatar
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    Re: Password protected emails

    Quote Originally Posted by InkZ View Post
    I used this method with some success by renaming the file to .xls for example and then putting instructions in the email to rename it back.

    We get a lot of data from the big banks and you'd be supprised how many are using this method.
    Telling people to rename files to exe and then running them is usually not a good idea :/

  10. #10
    Gentoo Ricer
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    Re: Password protected emails

    Especially since Windows hides 'known file extensions' by default.
    Quote Originally Posted by Agent View Post
    ...every time Creative bring out a new card range their advertising makes it sound like they have discovered a way to insert a thousand Chuck Norris super dwarfs in your ears...

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