Advanced VaultletMail Features

VS2Go has some extra features that can increase the security of your email communications. You must select the Blue account option at registration for complete access to these features.

• Half-Life - Allows you to specify the longevity of an email message once the recipient has opened it. You can designate in advance the number of times a message can be read, or specify a time limit before it deletes itself. This feature is useful for sending sensitive information that must not be accessible to the user after a given period.

• ScopeControl - Allows you to restrict the recipient's ability to forward your message to others, or copy its content displayed in the original message window. This is useful in preventing a recipient from accidentally 'leaking' information in your email to a third party.

• SpecialDelivery - Allows you to send encrypted email, and apply Half-Life and Scope Control features if required, outside the VaultletSoft domain. This means that you can maintain your privacy and authenticity when communicating with subscribers of other email services (even insecure ones).

To view if or when the extra features are active, click: in the VaultletMail Composer window.

Reminder: you may need to stretch your window in order to see this icon.

4.1 The Half-Life feature

You can limit the amount of time a message remains in the recipient's mailbox, by clicking HalfLife in the menu bar of the VaultletMail Composer window.

Step 1. Click: to switch the Half-Life feature on.

Step 2. Select the length of time you'd like the message to be displayed before being deleted, or the number of times it can be opened, or a combination of both.

Figure 29. The HalfLife feature screen

Step 3. Click: when your selection is complete.

Note: The HalfLife description line above your message has changed and displays the newly selected settings.

Figure 30: The HalfLife feature description message

Step 4. Compose your message and click:

The recipient will receive your message. They will be able to view the restrictions you have placed on it at the beginning of the email as follows:

Figure 31. The VaultletMail Inbox displaying an email message with a restricted life span

Upon the expiration of the time limit or the number of views allowed, the message will delete itself.

4.2 The Scope Control feature

You can restrict the recipient from forwarding or copying the content of your email to third parties. This can be useful in preventing 'accidents' involving private messages floating around email lists.

Step 1. Click: in the VaultletMail Composer window.

Notice the change in the Scope Control description above your message as follows:

Figure 32: The Scope Control message

Your message is now protected from being forwarded onto others, from having its content printed, archived or copied.

4.3 The SpecialDelivery feature

The SpecialDelivery feature brings the security and functions of VS2Go to all email users. It allows you to send encrypted messages, using HalfLife? and Scope Control as required, to any email address. This might sound like an impossible task, but the trick behind this approach is to send the message encrypted and include a link to a secure SpecialDelivery viewer on the VaultletSoft? website, which allows them to view the message securely.

Note: This approach may seem cumbersome for your recipients at first. However, when they have completed the process once, all future message exchanges will be much faster. You need to remember that if you do not want your recipient to put herself/himself (or you) in danger by using insecure email, then they must take that extra step to read your message.

Step 1. Click: after you have inserted an external email address in the TO: field. Notice the Special Delivery line above your message change to display the following message:

Figure 33: The Special Delivery description message

You can now switch on the HalfLife and Scope Control features as required.

Figure 34: The VaultletMail Composer: New Mail message screen

Step 2. Compose and then send your message.

You will be prompted to create a secret code word, which the recipient must type in exactly when prompted by the VS2Go system. This is used to authenticate the two communicating parties to each other.

Step 3. Enter a code word (it should be at least 8 characters long) and click: .

Figure 35: The Confirm Introductory SpecialDelivery Message screen

Pass the code word by SMS, word of mouth or telephone. Remember that the authentication process only happens once for each new recipient.

Instructions for the recipient

You will receive the VaultletSoft message in your standard email application.

Figure 36: A VaultletSoft SpecialDelivery message

Step 1. Follow the instructions in the email, by copying its entire content. Click the link to open a new web page.

Figure 37. The VaultletSoft SpecialDelivery Message displayed in a non-VaultletSoft account

After the page loads itself, you will be prompted to install and run the Java applet from VaultletSoft Inc. This is a small program that will perform the encryption/decryption of the VaultletSoft messages on your computer. You may be asked to 'Always trust content from this publisher'. Choose whether you want this to occur or not, depending upon whether you want to answer this question every time you run the SpecialDelivery Viewer.

Figure 38: The Warning - Security screen

Step 2. Click Run.

Once installed, press Ctrl+V to paste the content (if this did not already occur automatically) of the email into the given window.

Figure 39: The VaultletSoft Getting Started screen

Step 3. Click: to decrypt it.

The system will begin decrypting the message. You will be asked to create a quick VS2Go account, in order to send and receive secure email from Vaultlet senders in the future.

Figure 40: The You've Got VaultletMail SpecialDelivery From ... screen

Step 4. Enter the username and passphrase for your new account

Note: You are not creating an email account on the VS2Go servers. You are registering your current address for communicating securely with existing VS2Go account holders.

Step 5. Click:

Step 6. Accept the Licence agreement to continue.

Figure 41: The Preparing to Display Your Message screen

The last step is for you to confirm the secret code word created by the author to protect this email.

Figure 42: The Message Protected by Secret Code screen

Step 7. Enter the code word to display the original message as follows:

Figure 43: The Message Displayed after code entry

You can now respond securely to the addressee, using the Respond button on this screen. All future email communications between yourself and this person will be a lot simpler. You will open the link found in the message and log in with the details created above. You will not be asked for any more code words after the first time.