Can I Configure GatorLink E-mail to be Secure?
CNS Document ID:
Q1405
Last Updated:
01-04-2007
Can I Configure GatorLink E-mail to be Secure?
| Q: | Is there a secure way to receive my email at home other than
using the VPN or now Webmail with SSL? The way I understand it
there is a secure way to send email encrypted using TLS through
port 587 but it seems the receiving part is still unencrypted?
|
| A: | Yes, there is; it's "IMAPS" (secure IMAP). The following
settings refer specifically to configuring the Mozilla Thunderbird
e-mail client; however, you should be able to apply them to most
other modern e-mail programs. Table 1. Server Settings -> Incoming IMAP Server | Server Name: | imap.ufl.edu | | Port: | 993 | | Username: | YourGatorLinkUsername |
Table 2. Server Settings -> Security Settings | Use Secure Connection: | SSL | | Use Secure authentication: | (unchecked) |
Table 3. Outgoing Server (SMTP) settings | Server Name: | smtp.ufl.edu | | Port: | 587 |
Table 4. Outgoing Server (SMTP) -> Security and
Authentication | User name and password: | (checked) | | Username: | YourGatorLinkUsername | | Use secure connection: | (TLS) |
The advantage of this configuration is that between IMAPS
and SMTP/TLS on the mail submission port (587), mail is entirely
encrypted and will work whether you're on campus on wireless, on
campus wired, off-campus, or wherever. CautionNote that smtp.ufl.edu and imap.ufl.edu use certificates
signed by valid Certificate Authorities, so if you ever get a
pop-up warning you that the certificate is not valid someone
might be trying to intercept your traffic and impersonate those
services! |
Your Comments are Welcome
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this and all CNS
documentation. Please send your comments to:
UF Computing & Networking Services112 SSRB, University of Florida
P.O. Box 112050
Gainesville, Florida 32611-2050
Phone:
(352) 392.2061
E-mail:
editor@cns.ufl.edu 