On Thursday 21 October 2004 08:41, Mary Hawking wrote:
> * the use of 128-bit encryption using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or
> Transport Layer Security (TLS) technologies
> Although emails sent via Contact are encrypted in transit
But _not_ when in storage on the server intermediate between the sender and
recipient. THis should not be confused even for a moment as providing end to
end encryption.
(I send lots of email that is cleartext, so I'm not sayin g that is a bad
thing, just that it should be clear what it actually is doing.)
> Contact tracks what is received, by
> whom, and when read.
Not if like most savvy users your client is now instructed not to return
receipts, I think. (or is it a Web client?)
> 2. if Contact "tracks what is received, by whom and when read", what is
> the purpose of this, and what is done with the information?
The purpose is shifting blame.
> For instance, at the moment I am suffering from spam on both my practice
> SMTP and NHS.net addresses at the surgery.
> My NHS.net address is set to forward email to both home and surgery
> addresses - and at the surgery I use Outlook.
Stop using it.
> In Outlook, if I delete a message after reading it, the next message
> opens automatically - and sometimes yet another spam message has arrived
> and gets opened automatically.
Stop using it, or switch off the automatic preview - probably means losing the
preview pane.
> Does anyone know how, if Contact is tracking what you receive (calling
> it down to Outlook) , it recognises that it has been read - or does
> Outlook (or any other mail client such as Turnpike) inform a webmail
> server that the message has been opened?
You control the settings.
> Could I get permanently labelled with having read something illegal -
> assuming that Contact still allows *some* spam to get through?
Of course.
> Another question to the panel -
> I am registered with eHealth Insider on my nhs.net address.
> If I post a comment or reply, does this pass trough NHS.net channels,
> and if so, will Contact be keeping a permanent record?
It does. But that would be tracked in the web-proxy logs, if anyone oculd be
bothered.
(And of course on Echelon, along with all other electronic traffic through
official channels. Not that Echelon actually exists.)
--
Adrian Midgley Open Source software is better
GP, Exeter http://www.defoam.net/
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