TL;DR
- PGP acts like a "digital padlock" for your emails, accessible even to beginners (Source IONOS)
- 85 % of cyber-attacks occur via email – encryption reduces this risk by 70 % (Source Kaspersky)
- Tools such as ProtonMail or Mailvelope make everyday use simple (Source Kraken)
- No coding skills required – installation takes less than 10 minutes (Video tutorial)
- Recommended by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) for small businesses (Source NinjaOne)
1. Why encrypt your emails in 2025?
Imagine sending a confidential letter… in a transparent envelope. That’s exactly what happens with unsecured email: anyone in the transmission chain (ISP, employer, hacker) could read its content.
PGP solves this problem with a "double key" system:
- Public key: A padlock you share with your contacts (e.g. on your LinkedIn signature)
- Private key: A physical key you keep secret (like the combination to your safe)
Result: even if a hacker intercepts the email, they will see only a string of unreadable characters without your private key.
2. Three PGP solutions for non‑techies
a) ProtonMail: the secure Gmail
This Swiss service offers built‑in automatic encryption. No installation is required – just create an account.
Benefits:
- Interface identical to Gmail/Outlook
- Encryption activated with one click
- Free for basic use
b) Mailvelope: the browser extension
Available for Chrome and Firefox, this extension adds an "Encrypt" button in Gmail or Yahoo Mail.
Step by step:
- Install Mailvelope (2 minutes)
- Generate your keys via the wizard
- Share your public key via LinkedIn or email
c) Canary Mail: the intuitive mobile app
This iOS/Android application lets you manage PGP from your smartphone with biometric recognition (fingerprint).
3. Frequently asked questions
“Do I need to encrypt all my emails?”
Yes – just as you would put all your letters in an envelope. This avoids drawing attention to important messages (Kaspersky advice).
“What if my recipient doesn’t have PGP?”
Tools like ProtonMail offer a "password" mode – the recipient receives an SMS with a code to open the email.
“Is it legal?”
Absolutely. The CNIL even recommends encryption for personal data (Reference).
A word from Blue Fox
At Blue Fox, we believe cybersecurity should be accessible to everyone. Our “PGP in 1 day” program trains your teams in best practices and simplifies adoption.
#EmailSecurity #DataProtection #SMECybersecurity #SimplifiedPGP #ResponsibleDigital
Sources used:
- Practical guide to email encryption (IONOS)
- Kaspersky recommendations for businesses
- NinjaOne study on PGP usage in 2025