The computer protocol specifies the rules for exchanging information between two machines. E-mail, which is one of the main uses of the Internet, is based on a number of communication protocols. The messaging protocols used to pass e-mails from server to server contribute greatly to the security of your identification data (login and password). To optimise the security of your information, make sure you clean your mailbox regularly.
Find out more about messaging protocols and how to use them?
There are 3 main types of messaging protocols: SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), POP (Post Office Protocol) and IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol). Outgoing protocols (SMTP) are used to manage the transmission of e-mail between servers. Incoming protocols (POP and IMAP) are used to manage the sending of messages to mailboxes. These are protocols for receiving and distributing messages.
The IMAP messaging protocol
The IMAP protocol allows you to consult the e-mails from anywhere. It ensures constant synchronisation between your workstation and the server. Your e-mails are therefore better managed, sorted and classified. When you retrieve your e-mail, you can ask to download only the headers or the body. This is a practical solution if you don’t want to download unnecessary attachments.
You also have the possibility to search from the server to find out whether an email is urgent or not. However, the IMAP protocol requires more resources on the server side, and the download time can be increased, especially when using a modem connection.
The POP messaging protocol
The POP protocol allows the retrieval of mail located on a remote server. It manages the authentication of an account holder through his/her login credentials. It provides the ability to check messages in offline mode. The POP protocol downloads the E-mail messages to the server and stores them locally.
After authenticating the recipients, it puts messages on hold. E-mails can then be sent in bulk to a computer, and stored or deleted on the server. However, it should be noted that the POP protocol is not suitable for mobile devices, and messages are not always synchronized with the server.
The SMTP messaging protocols
It is the most comprehensive of electronic communication protocols. It is used to transfer e-mail from server to server. The SMTP protocol centralizes the E-mail sent in a special kind of envelope, on which it places various tags, such as the name of the service provider, the name of the recipient, and the recipient’s E-mail address.
Cleaning your E-mail inbox
Certain actions can be taken to optimise the security of your personal data. Improve the management of your e-mails by sorting them and filing them in different folders. You can also set up your mailbox to receive all your e-mails in one place. Another way to secure your information is to regularly clean your mailbox.
If you don’t have time to manually delete your emails, use Cleanfox. This intelligent software allows you to delete spam and unsubscribe from newsletters with one click. Associate it with your mailbox so that it can scan your messages according to the senders. The tool is also available on mobile devices.
After sorting your messages, Cleanfox offers to delete and/or unsubscribe them, or to keep them. If you delete a message by mistake, you can retrieve it from your trash within 30 days.
