Send encrypted messages with Secure Gmail

Secure Gmail is a Chrome extension that lets you encrypt your Gmail messages, to make it harder for anyone but your intended recipient to read your email.

The extension only works with Chrome and Gmail, and your recipient must also have the extension installed in Chrome to decrypt the message. With the extension installed, all you need to to is click the lock icon that will appear next to the the normal compose button. This will open a compose box that will send your email encrypted with an open source encryption library from Stanford. When you press send, you’ll be asked to enter a password and hint for your recipient.

Secure Gmail arrives at a time when more and more people are getting interested in security and encryption in the wake of the PRISM scandal. While it’s a good idea, this extension uses symmetric encryption. It would be more secure if it was based on an asymmetric encryption system, where two passwords or keys are required, or the GnuPG or other OpenPGP encryption standard.

Try the Secure Gmail extension.