Tiscali bolts down email

Secure Mail service scheduled for early UK launch.

Internet service provider Tiscali has beefed up its email security with the launch of an encrypted email service dubbed Secure Mail.

Available from this week in Italy and "coming soon" to the UK, Secure Mail is being pitched at customers who want to ensure the privacy of their email messages and attachments.

Anyone can purchase Secure Mail from Tiscali, and existing customers can simply add the service to their bill.

Tiscali Secure Mail requires subscribers to download and install a plug-in, and a new 'secure' button will appear in their email software.

The subscriber simply presses 'secure' before 'send' and the message is automatically encrypted. The message remains encrypted until it reaches the recipient.

Tiscali Secure Mail can be sent to anyone, even those who have not downloaded the software.

"Data privacy continues to be a growing concern, which is why organisations are looking to implement best practices, such as encryption to ensure secure communications," said Klaus Ludemann, director of media at Tiscali.

"We believe that email encryption will become the new privacy standard for digital communications."

Michael Ginsberg, president and chief executive at Echoworx, which is supporting the platform, said: "Securing digital communications has become a primary focus for internet users around the world.

"With data theft and cyber-crime on the rise, Tiscali is answering the growing need of Italian customers to protect the privacy of their digital communications."