how do you make an email service safe, private, secure

mylady

I want to have an email service to answer questions clients have on personal issues. How can I make the service secure private safe. It would be on my website. Any suggestions and help would be appreciated

Ctrl Alt Del

Question is ...how "secure private safe "do you want / need to be ?
You kind of listed what an email is not these days...
Email, as it stands today, is not " secure private safe " for what you may require.

Put a phone number of your office and ask them to setup an appointment to see you face to face.

Buttercake

You can use Symantec Digital ID > http://www.symantec.com/digital-id

TheWaterboy

I am not 100% sure if you want to 'secure' the email / email address from the general public or from yourself

You could do something similiar to what DoneDeal & Gumtree do in that they mask the senders email address and send it as a donedeal / gumtree address..This would mean that you would never have access to the email address and it would never be stored in your Inbox

GerardKeating

mylady wrote: »

I want to have an email service to answer questions clients have on personal issues. How can I make the service secure private safe. It would be on my website. Any suggestions and help would be appreciated

Secure from Whom? Do you want people to be able so send emails to you anonymously?

ironclaw

Probably the most secure, would for a user to set up an account with you, and have a private messaging system. Provided this was suitably secured and encrypted, it would offer the most 'secure' system in my eyes. Like Boards.ie here, but a thread only between you and the client.

There is no way for a user to send you an encrypted email across domains (i.e. If they had a @gmail.com address and you were on @mybusiness.ie) without making it complicated for you and them.

Ctrl Alt Del

I guess some common sense it will apply and not really going trough all the technicality !

Best compromise is to display on the website that if end user / client needs to contact you he/she can do it via email but please note that this communication method is not fully secure due to the nature of the technology behind the electronic mail.
In case that the matter is delicate AND he/she feels, you advise the end user to contact you or your office via phone at above /below numbers and setup an appointment to discuss the matter in a friendly and complete privacy.

Regards

mylady

Hi everyone. The business i hope to set up is an online counselling service. I want the client to feel safe, and secure when they use the service. I know there is many online counselling services already but I'm not sure on what is best to use so that the service is safe. Thanks for everyones suggestions I do appreciate this.

pedronomix

OP, I take you mean live online and not by email?

ironclaw

mylady wrote: »

Hi everyone. The business i hope to set up is an online counselling service. I want the client to feel safe, and secure when they use the service. I know there is many online counselling services already but I'm not sure on what is best to use so that the service is safe. Thanks for everyones suggestions I do appreciate this.

This would be a custom built system to be as secure as you want it to be. You would want to have a chat with a developer about the in's and out's of security online and what your vision is. I'd happily send you a synopsis if you want to PM me the general outline or even post up here.

amen

ironclaw wrote: »

Probably the most secure, would for a user to set up an account with you, and have a private messaging system. Provided this was suitably secured and encrypted, it would offer the most 'secure' system in my eyes. Like Boards.ie here, but a thread only between you and the client.

There is no way for a user to send you an encrypted email across domains (i.e. If they had a @gmail.com address and you were on @mybusiness.ie) without making it complicated for you and them.

You could use http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Good_Privacy

As mentioned there are many ways to do this.

If you are storing data you also need to consider securing/encrypting data on the server/database.

ironclaw

amen wrote: »

You could use http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Good_Privacy

As mentioned there are many ways to do this.

If you are storing data you also need to consider securing/encrypting data on the server/database.

You can use anything you like, the problem is making it user friendly. You couldn't ask a visitor to your site to make arrangements to use PGP (Or whatever you wish to use) and then email you. Would be far easier to SSL the entire site, build an in-house messaging system, secure the backend and work from there. Granted, its never going to be 100% secure (Nothing ever will be) but you definitely need to remove the onus (And potential hassle) of privacy / encryption from the individual contacting you.

Ctrl Alt Del

Hi All,

Dunno why but i feel that I'm still missing some of the business requirements before jumping and flooding with various technical parameters !

Client will contact OP via email and / or online submitted messages and/or live chat !?

I had a search online and found this web site here:

https://www.betterhelp.com/go/?utm_source=AdWords&utm_medium=Search_PPC&utm_term=online%20therapist&utm_content=25302692770&network=g&placement=&target=&matchtype=b&utm_campaign=online_counseling&ad_type=text&adposition=1t3target=&gclid=CN6T1J7Y6rwCFWF22wodFR0ANA#!discreet

I know is full "parasited" by Google AdWords... you nay wanna try here the parent: www.betterhelp.com
They offer a secure / discreet service where all site is in HTTPS then,once started it goes in to a SSL session:
https://www.betterhelp.com/start/

If that is the type of business that OP feels wants to create,look at their security setup:
"We are totally obsessed about securing your privacy and confidentiality. We have built and perfected state-of-the-art technology, operation and infrastructure having one thing in mind: protecting your privacy and securing the information you provide. BetterHelp's privacy and confidentiality standards are by far more advanced than what is required by law or regulations so that you can feel safe and comfortable.
Here are a few things you'd be happy to know:

• Unlike traditional counseling, even your counselor doesn't have access to any identifying information about you.
• Everything you tell your counselor is protected by strict federal and state laws.
• Unlike traditional counseling, we don't cooperate or work with any insurance companies or employers, so no diagnosis needs to be shared, reported or filed with them.
• You can always click the "Shred" button next to each message that you've sent. When you choose to shred a message, its content is permanently and irreversible deleted from the system.
• We comply with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), which is the national standard and regulations for the security and privacy of health-related information.
• All the messages between you and your counselor are secure and encrypted by banking-grade 256 bit encryption.
• Our servers are hosted in an "A Grade" facility, ensuring the best-in-class security and protection.
• Our browsing encryption system (SSL) is provided by Comodo, a world leader in online security and encryption.
• Our databases are encrypted and scrambled so they practically become useless in the very unlikely event that they are being hacked or stolen."

Then,other web site have listed as options methods of contacting the service provider like this one here:
http://www.onlinecounsellingservice.co.uk/


So ... dunno which one to recommend until full details reveled by OP which i reckon is "crazy" to do it here,in public !??

mylady

thank you:)