Open-Xchange unlocks OX Guard

Open-Xchange has announced the release of OX Guard, a fully integrated email security tool designed to bring simple encryption of data and communication without the need for prior knowledge of cryptography procedures or techniques. The single click solution protects against unauthorized access to email and files during storage and delivery to other email service providers.

In a climate of growing concerns over data privacy and intercepted communications, OX Guard enables cloud and hosting providers to offer end users a configurable set of security options with complete transparency. Messages and data are secured through a combination of encryption that uses PGP libraries and an RSA Public/Private key pair to ensure comprehensive protection against intrusion.

Features of OX Guard include:
· Single click email security
· External secure email delivery
· File and message protection
· Secondary password capability for individual messages and files
· Email retraction and timeout capability
· Encrypted file storage and sharing
· Scalability with multi-server capabilities

“For the last year, Open-Xchange has been focused on getting to the root of effective encryption,” says Rafael Laguna, CEO of Open-Xchange. “Past efforts from email service providers have fallen short of the mark by being neither easy to use nor accessible. Rather than taking the bolt-on approach to encryption, we’ve opted for the baked-in.

“As OX Guard requires no prior user knowledge of encryption techniques, working inside the browser without any need for special plugins, we are offering a unique proposition to solve the easy-to-use security conundrum.”

All encryption and decryption is processed on the OX Guard server allowing OX App Suite users to send and read OX Guard encrypted email with a single click. Unlike browser plugins and software client extensions, Guard allows email to be sent and received seamlessly across different domains. Encrypting stored data makes it more difficult to exploit intercepted content, meaning confidential information is safer from prying eyes than with conventional email communication.

A user that does not have an OX App Suite account will receive a system generated OX Guard message informing them that they have an OX Guard email containing a link to a hosted copy of the encrypted message. Attachments are also fully encrypted, and the recipients are able to send encrypted responses to the message group.
Email and file content is encrypted with symmetric AES keys and the resulting content key is further encrypted with RSA private/public key combinations. OX Guard ensures that all email content and files are protected whilst they are stored in a hosted OX App Suite account.

OX Guard uses tried and trusted encryption standards rather than custom or new cryptography, including: Bouncy Castle for PGP related processes and Java Crypto packages for AES and RSA encryption. OX Guard is also open source, allowing all source code to be independently reviewed and verified for integrity.

“We are not trying to re-invent the encryption wheel,” continues Laguna, “instead, what OX Guard delivers is a secure and usable solution for everyone, helping service providers to rebuild the trust that privacy issues have destroyed. Everyone has the right to protect their data and we are upholding that right by making encryption user-friendly.”