How can I protect my email from being read by others using my computer?

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How 'bout keeping the emails on a USB drive (key or other portable), duly true-crypted?

Another solution would be to use a webmail app. The emails would be locked behind a password on a remote server.

It doesn't solve the keylogger problem, but then, very little does.

While a USB drive would allow you to physically remove the data when you're not using the computer, nothing prevents spyware from reading the data off the USB drive while it's plugged in.

As Leo said: "If it's not physically secure, it's not secure."

Ah, yes -- but what is *theoretically* possible and what is *practically* possible can (and very frequently are!) two extremely different things. The person who *I* share our computer with, is my 70-year-old mother, who wouldn't know a "keylogger" from a chance string of random characters. She is also computer-inept -- she asks me (on a regular basis!) "Glenn, how do I get on Google?" Folks, confronted with this level of computer (in)expertise, encryption is actually overkill. I could probably do just as well burying my private data in multiple obscure subfolders, and it would be just as secure, at least from my Mom. For me, encryption does VERY nicely for keeping private things Private -- I mainly use it as a precaution, in case Someone Else -- online, or breaking into our home -- should try to access my files. I use Cryptext v3.4 (by Nick Pane), PC-Encrypt v10.2 (by PC-Encrypt.COM), and WinZip v11.2 (by WinZip.COM) for my main encryption needs, and the occasional sundry "Other Program" (e.g., Abi-Coder v3.6.1.4 (by AbiSoft.NET)) for special needs. They all work very well! :)

Truecrypt is great, I've used it for years and highly recommend it. You could also install a keylogger yourself just to see if anyone on YOUR computer is even trying to ummm go where they're not supposed to....lol

I have Outlook Express, and I can have different identities and password protect each one.

if you use Outlook express there is a solution. All you have to do is create a new identity on Outlook express and then password protect it. this is not extreemeley secure but it will work for home use!
in outlook express click 0n File, Identities, Manage identities. then click new. On the options for the identities you can check the box "require a password"
I hope this is helpful, for further questions contact me at revengeofthesquirrels@gmail.com

I am running OE6 on XP Pro. I can 'see' old dbx files on a backup drive using Windows Explorer. On going through the normal import messages routine (I've done it many times in the past), OE cannot find the .dbx file I want to import. It is definitely there, I can see it in WE, OE6 can't seeit!

Thanks Fil

Thanks Leo and all respondents to my question. It appears that encryption is the most widely recommended solution. Appreciate your comments and help. Jim

how can i protect my email to be read by other people using their computer?

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