Is the OpenPGP model still useful?

[Jeffrey Walton]

On Mon, May 2, 2011 at 5:34 AM, B <BruderB at cation.de> wrote:
>
> Simon Ward schrieb:
>> On Fri, Apr 29, 2011 at 09:05:35PM +0200, B wrote:
>>> By the way: Using OpenPGP with enigmail in Thunderbird, I miss a feature:
>>> Usually the recipient rules work but if they fail (perhaps due to
>>> background update of Thunderbird and not working plugin), I would like
>>> to have a chance to see that the written message is going to be send
>>> unencrypted BEFORE sending. Or vice vera: I want to see that a instantly
>>> written message is going to be encrypted....
>>
>> There is an option in Enigmail's expert settings to always confirm.
>>
>> [SNIP]
>
> But I'm lacking phantasy of how to use this for preventing me of sending
> unencrypted in case that Enigmail does not work properly....
>
If you run your mail server, you should be able to set up a secure
channel by having your MTA issue a STARTTLS command. The communication
from the originating MTA to your MTA will be secure (some hand
waiving). If the sender connects to his/her mail server securely (and
MTA's use TLS), then most opportunities for message inspection and
tampering should be remediated.

Jeff