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Why isn't there an end-to-end encryption standard for email so that we can get rid of fax machines? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by MrFagtron9000@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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That's the reason we have to still use fax machines right?

I know there are ways to do encryption like PGP on your message directly or I think email sent over TLS? But that isn't the default right and that's why I can't send a picture of my license to the insurance company directly over email?

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[-] VexCatalyst@lemmy.astaluk.icu 25 points 1 year ago

Fax isn't encrypted. What keeps it alive is just inertia.

As for why your insurance company won't take emailed photo, that probably has more to do with whatever system your insurance is using for their backend.

Email content can be end to end encrypted by GPG and S/MIME as well as through a few other standards. Email in transit can be (but not always is) encrypted via TLS.

The reason encryption is not default is because (I think) of backwards compatibility. E-mail originated at a time when almost nothing electronic was ever encrypted, including the username and password you used to log into a system with. Most of the encryption we use of today has simply been "bolted on" to standards that were already in place at the time and it did take a few tries to get it right.

When the internet was first getting started, few people, if anyone, thought it would become as invasive (possibly the wrong word) as it has become. Everyone on the net knew each other. They were friends, why would they ever need to hide anything from each other. /s

That and the early systems couldn't really spare the processing power for encrypting and decrypting things.

[-] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Insurance won't take it because no one is going to work hard to make sure you get paid.

[-] 970372@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago

Yeah, but you can just deny email that hasn't got TLS. Many businesses that do business with eachother do this by creating rules in their mailserver.

this post was submitted on 24 Jul 2023

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