ProtonMail open-sources its mobile and web applications, allowing independent verification of its end-to-end encryption claims. This is a significant milestone for privacy-focused email.
What Was Open Sourced
- ProtonMail iOS app — Apache 2.0 licence
- ProtonMail Android app — Apache 2.0 licence
- ProtonMail Web client — MIT licence
- OpenPGP.js library (already open source)
What Remains Closed
- Backend server code
- Key management infrastructure
- Anti-abuse systems
Impact on Self-Hosted Email
ProtonMail's open sourcing validates the importance of transparency in email security. For self-hosted mail server operators, this highlights best practices:
End-to-End Encryption for Self-Hosted Email
# Enable PGP encryption in Roundcube
# Install: Enigma plugin
# Or use S/MIME certificates
# Generate certificate:
openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout email.key -out email.crt -subj "/[email protected]"Privacy Best Practices for Mail Servers
- Enable TLS for all connections (STARTTLS + SSL)
- Store emails encrypted at rest
- Minimal logging — delete logs after 7 days
- No third-party analytics in webmail
- DNSSEC enabled for your domain
Conclusion
Email privacy is increasingly important. Our team configures privacy-focused mail server setups with full encryption and minimal data retention.
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