While many email programs devote themselves to things like user interface, business capabilities, or easy organization, Lavabit is an email platform that is entirely focused on maximizing security. The service is trusted by Edward Snowden, the former NSA agent who famously leaked tens of thousands of government documents, which is a testament to its reliability.
Lavabit achieves its unparalleled security through a completely new and proprietary system that it calls the Dark Internet Mail Environment, or DIME. According to the founder of Lavabit, DIME is "a revolutionary end-to-end encrypted global standard [that] provides multiple modes of security (Trustful, Cautious, & Paranoid)".
The difference between those three modes effects the balance between usability and security in the system. Trustful will perform on par with many other popular email services, but it requires users to store sensitive information on the (secure) server, while Paranoid doesn't require any trust in the server but makes Lavabit more cumbersome to use.
Super-Secure Email Services
The Lavabit Email Platform is Virtually Unhackable
Trend Themes
1. Maximizing Email Security - Lavabit's proprietary security system provides an opportunity for email platforms to prioritize security over other features.
2. End-to-end Encryption Standards - DIME's multi-level end-to-end encryption standard creates room for disruptive innovation in encryption, particularly for platforms where security is important.
3. Trust Vs. Paranoid Models - The balance between security and usability can be optimized in email platforms if they offer the option of Trust or Paranoid security models.
Industry Implications
1. Email Security - Lavabit's focus on security could disrupt the email security industry, particularly for professionals who prioritize secure communication.
2. Cybersecurity Software - DIME's standard can be used for disruptive innovation in cybersecurity software development to further protect sensitive information stored online.
3. Cloud Storage Providers - Companies that store sensitive data on the cloud could benefit from disruptive innovations in end-to-end encryption standards such as DIME to provide more secure cloud storage.