Posted by Email sent through different platforms such as Gmail, Outlook, Hotmail, and others has the tendency to be visible to unauthorized persons who have the means to gain access to it. Since there are several servers involved in getting an email from one end to another on the internet, security is quite a concern. A lack of advanced security measures or encryption can make your emails vulnerable to being accessed by hackers and other entities with malicious intent that could easily misuse your confidential data. If your business falls victim to this you could end up ruining your reputation which will have a huge impact on your revenue. You will also be obligated to pay regulatory fines as a consequence of noncompliance.
If you are wondering about the best way to ensure your communication remains private in this era of data breaches, we have got your back. Email certificate are the best way to keep your emails private and protected from any malicious hackers.
What is an email certificate?
Your email application has a digital file inserted which is an email certificate to ensure completely protected email communication. There are several names that an email certificate is called in the industry including S/MIME certificates, email encryption certificates, email security certificates, and much more. A secure/multipurpose internet mail extension not only encrypts the entire data of your email including your attachments. But also ensures you can digitally sign it. It helps assure your users that your email is authentic while preserving the integrity of your email before you send it to your recipient.
What are the workings of an email digital signature certificate?
In case you are unsure about the precise way an email certificate works, we have got you covered. Basically, the function of an email signature is twofold. It authenticates you as the sender of the email so your recipient can open it without worrying about their safety. It also encrypts the content so that all of it including the attachments can only be read by the recipient, thus protecting it from prying malicious eyes. Public key encryption and hashing are used to create your unique digital signature.
Email certificates differ from SSL/TLS certificates, as the latter establishes an encrypted safe connection to send your data safely. While this works incredibly well to keep your email server secure, the content within our emails on the other hand might not be. Hence an email signing certificate is crucial to enforce maximum all-around safety.
When you get your email signing certificate from a credible certificate authority their digital signature is present on the email alongside yours which lends it double reliability. Your recipients can rest assured that the email has come from you.
Validation steps
There are validation stages that email signing certificates offer. While SSL/TLS offers domain, extended, and organization validation, email certificates provide email, organization, and individual validation.
- Email validation: Your domain and email address are verified by this process.
- Individual validation: It involves the government providing you with an identification that ensures you are who you say you are. You also need a credible business email address. You will then receive a certificate of your name that verifies your identity for your recipients.
- Organization validation: This is the topmost of the three as the certificate authority verifies if your business is valid which includes an extended process involving a phone call for verification, authenticating the domain and email address you have, and much more. Your business name will be on the certificate that is finally issued to you at the end of the process.
Where can you get an email certificate?
The email signing certificates are provided by the certificate authorities that are valid for the majority of main email clients including IBM notes, Apple Mail, Outlook, and much more. So not only are your emails completely secure. You do not have to worry about them not being compatible with a variety of clients.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you now have a clear idea of what email signing certificates are and the way they function. The best part about them is their multiple functions. Not only do they encrypt your entire communication. So that it can be read only by the intended reader, but they also authenticate your identity to your recipients. So they know it is from a legitimate source. This builds your reputation in the eyes of your recipients even further. Thus ensuring they know they can trust your brand.
You can choose from the three validation levels mentioned above based on the security level you aim to enforce. From a credible certificate authority, an email signing certificate can completely protect your email communications. Now that all of your queries have been laid to rest. You have gained clarity on the importance and application of an email signing certificate. You can rest assured that your emails are completely secure.