Hushmail turns out to be anything but

[iNSOMNiA]

A court document in a drug smuggling case has shown that the private email service Hushmail has been cooperating with police in handing over user emails..
Hushmail (http://www.hushmail.com/) claims to offer unreadable email as it uses PGP (http://www.pgp.com/) encryption technology and a company specific key management system that it says will ensure only the sender and recipient can read the emails. However it seems the Canadian company has been divulging keys to the American authorities.

The document (http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/files/steroids.source.prod_affiliate.25.pdf) describes the tracking of an anabolic steroid manufacturer who was being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/) (DEA). The document alleges that the majority of those engaged in the trade in anabolic steroids use Hushmail to communicate.

The DEA agents received three CDs of decrypted emails which contained decrypted emails for the targets of the investigation that had been decrypted as part of a mutual legal assistance treaty between the United States and Canada.

The news will be embarrassing to the company, which has made much of its ability to ensure that emails are not read by the authorise, including the FBI's (http://www.fbi.gov/) Carnivore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivore_%28FBI%29) email monitoring software.

"Hushmail's security cannot be broken or weakened by this government sponsored snooping software," the company states.

"The only way to decrypt or unscramble Hush messages is by using your passphrase when you open up your Hushmail account. Carnivore cannot decrypt your mail, and is therefore, powerless against messages sent between Hush users."

:source: Source: http://itnews.com.au/News/65213,hushmail-turns-out-to-be-anything-but.aspx
:view: Homepage: http://itnews.com.au/

[cuygen]

Hushmail seems kind of silly. The crux of encryption is the key, and using their service requires that they hold your key. I suppose its attractive because its ready-to-use, but its really not difficult to set up your own encryption through an email browser. Why anyone really interested in keeping secrets would use it is beyond me.

[Ac3Dunk]

im lol! abt scene grps how things hush was safe.

[killuminati96]

There is no such thing as privacy on the net.:frusty:

[WiseDoco]

im lol! abt scene grps how things hush was safe.
Yeah - mVs uses it, and loads of others... I don't really care about mVs but the others should really think about moving :ermm:

[matttwine]

like others have suggested if you are determined to break the law why do it by email?

I suppose the people committing these offences aren't sharpest tools in the box ;).

[MrLazy]

what a disappointment ..i was using hush too ..thought it was better than this ..oh well ...Anyone know any better alternatives ?

[Ænima]

There is no such thing as privacy on the net.:frusty:
aw, killuminati, don't be so melodramatic. You shouldn't conclude the degree of the potential for privacy over the net using one example, especially a corporation with ties to governments and their international agreements. ;)


Hushmail seems kind of silly. The crux of encryption is the key, and using their service requires that they hold your key. I suppose its attractive because its ready-to-use, but its really not difficult to set up your own encryption through an email browser. Why anyone really interested in keeping secrets would use it is beyond me.
My thoughts precisely. :happy:

[Skengeboy]

Haha man this is kind of a bummer. Nothing about it at hushmails homepage either! Used hushmail becaused of its comfortable layout and the fact that i did believe in the "privacy" that they promised! Well, those days are over, not because i am afraid of getting busted for anything, but because they are co-operating with the government and are liars.

[killuminati96]

aw, killuminati, don't be so melodramatic. You shouldn't conclude the degree of the potential for privacy over the net using one example, especially a corporation with ties to governments and their international agreements. ;):

I actually base my conclusion on many examples. It might get even worse. "They" are always trying to gain more spying power. Don't be so naive. ;)