Prevent exposure to third-parties by using a secure email provider
It would be nice if your email communication could only be read by yourself and the person you are sending it to. An open-source secure email provider like Tuta actively protects your emails from exposure to third-parties. Most regular email providers do not use email encryption, though. There are several ways the content can be read. By intercepting the header information, marketers can figure out the IP address the message was sent from, which operating system and browser was used, and more. And when you click images in a received email, external content gets loaded, which in return reveals a lot of information back to the sender.
Initially named Tutanota, the team behind it decided to rebrand to Tuta in November 2023. A new logo was also introduced. Tuta posted an article on their blog to explain the entire process of their rebranding. Please click this link to learn more.
Sharing of personal data only with your informed consent
Located in Germany, Tuta consists of a small team of secure email developers. Its name comes from Latin: Tuta and Nota mean secure note. They firmly believe that email security and online privacy in general is a fundamental human right that should be protected meticulously. While Germany is part of the 14 Eyes, an international surveillance alliance that shares mass surveillance data among its members, the country also has a German Federal Data Protection Act. In essence, this act – a modification of the EU GDPR law – prohibits the use of personal data unless you give informed consent.
End-to-end encrypted email, contacts and calendars
As a secure email provider, Tuta encrypts every step at the client-side. That means messages get protected before they leave your device. Content, attachments, and unique to other secure email providers, even the email subject gets encrypted. Additionally, Tuta removes the IP address from the message header, further protecting your anonymity. The only metadata logged are the sender, the receiver, and the time of sending. This minimal amount of metadata is necessary for the functioning of the email service but does not compromise your privacy or security. Also, your contacts and calendar are end-to-end encrypted.
This level of encryption ensures that your emails and personal information remain secure and private. By encrypting the data at the client-side, Tuta ensures that even if someone intercepts your emails or gains unauthorized access to their servers, they won’t be able to read the content or access any sensitive information. Overall, Tuta’s comprehensive client-side encryption and limited metadata logging make it a trustworthy and secure email provider for privacy-conscious users.
Symmetric encryption to non-Tuta accounts
When sending emails to other Tuta recipients, AES 256 asymmetric encryption is used. But Tuta also makes it quite easy to send encrypted messages to people without a Tuta account. In such a case, AES128 symmetric encryption comes into the picture. For each message, a unique Tuta email account gets created, which the recipient can only access by entering a previously exchanged password. Passwords in itself never pass to Tuta. Instead, by using a hashing function, only a fingerprint of the password will be sent.
No support of third-party email clients to guarantee encryption
Tuta can be used as a webmail service when used on your computer, but you can also download a standalone email program. It also has email apps for Android and iOS. Retrieval of messages via a third-party email client using POP, IMAP, and SMTP is not possible as this cannot guarantee end-to-end encryption. And as this secure email provider implements its own hybrid encryption PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) is also not supported.
Apart from that, the service works just like a regular email client. After logging in, the interface shows folders on the left, an email overview in the middle, and a reading pane on the right. At the top, you will find a search field, plus buttons to switch between email, contacts, and calendar.
Configure your custom domains with a premium account
A free Tuta email account entitles you to 1GB of storage. This account is limited to 1 user. When opting for a Revolutionary account, you can add up to 15 email aliases. This subscription also comes with 20GB of storage. Or you can choose a Legendary account that entitles you to 30 extra email addresses and 500GB of storage. All paid accounts allow you to set your custom domains; how many domains depend on the subscription plan you choose.
The procedure on how to establish using your own domain through Tuta is covered extensively in their knowledge base. And in case something remains unclear, you will be fully assisted when contacting their support team. Email support is only available for paid subscribers.
Recovery code as the only means to restore your account
There is no need to provide a phone number or any other PID (Personal Identifiable Information) when you sign up to get a secure Tuta account. In other words, you can enjoy a fully anonymous account. When signing up, a recovery code is the only means of recovering your account if you lose your password in the future. Tuta does not keep any records of passwords. So it is imperative to store this recovery code safely somewhere offline. To prevent spammers from registering Tuta applies a manual approval process; it can take up to 48 hours before you will be able to start using your new secure email account.
Best secure email provider perfectly fit to replace your regular email service
As an open-source secure email service, Tuta does an excellent job of providing encrypted communication. Your emails, contacts, and calendars remain protected from prying third-parties; as such, Tuta is a reliable replacement for your regular email provider. Tuta is designed with strong end-to-end encryption, which means your data is encrypted on your device before it is sent to the server. This ensures that even Tuta itself cannot access your data. The encryption keys are only stored on your device, adding an extra layer of security. Additionally, Tuta supports features like two-factor authentication and encryption of attachments. All these security measures make Tuta a trustworthy option for anyone concerned about the privacy and security of their email communications.