PSA: Encrypt your Gmail, Outlook, etc with Mailvelope - SUPER EASY!

[StarScream66]

NOTE: I posted this once before and it got deleted or lost in transmission. I'm not sure why it would be against the rules, but if mod has a problem with it, I would appreciate it if they PM me and tell me why

It's really easy to just get an encrypted email like Proton Mail or Tutanota, but I'm ALWAYS getting emails from people from Gmail or Yahoo and they ask very sensitive questions and don't encrypt it. Well, here is a very easy step by step way to install a browser extension that lets you send PGP encrypted emails from your regular address.

Mailvelope is a browser addon that lets you add encryption to your standard email so you can send PGP encrypted email to people without having to use a separate service. It's extremely simple to install and works on all major browsers.

Here's what you do:

1. Visit Mailvelope
2. Download the extension
3. Generate a key (see pic below)
4. Enter your name (if you're using your real one), your email, and create a secure password. I recommend using Roboform if you don't already have a password manager (YOU SHOULD!) it will generate secure passwords on the fly, save them, and it even auto fills passwords on your phone. RoboForm: Manage your passwords with ease and security
5. The default keyserver they have setup is dead, so I recommend changing it to pgp.mit.edu. However, it's still best to send your PUBLIC key (not private) to the friend you're trying to send an encrypted email too. Just go into key management and click export. The file extension will be .asc. Email that to your friend as an attachment and have them import it into their copy of Mailvelope. Now you're ready to send encrypted emails.
6. Now you're setup and ready to send encrypted emails. Mailvelope will automatically add a little button to all your emails with a red M icon. Just click on that and click send encrypted email.
7. A separate box will pop up and you will need to enter the person's email address along with the message. For some reason, Mailvelope doesn't let you enter a Subject line, so you'll have to do that manually when you're done.
8. Then you're done! The other person will receive your PGP encrypted email, it will automatically decrypt (as long as they have your public key) and the govt, your email service, and your OPSEC (operational security) will be much higher than sending plain text emails.

Give it a try, it's super easy to use and is much better than just emailing people unecrypted in plain text. That's a recipe for disaster if you're concerned about your personal privacy and security.

Generating a key:

Keyserver

Sending Encrypted Email

Try it out and let me know how it works for you. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know!
-SS