Playing it safe with De-Mail

As convenient as e-mail, as secure as a letter: With De-Mail government authorities, businesses and citizens save time and money.

Over 97 billion e-mails are sent daily. But the electronic data can be intercepted en route to the recipient, stolen and misused. This is something that Deutsche Telekom, the German Federal Ministry of the Interior and other partners want to prevent with De-Mail. That’s because with De-Mail electronic messages are legally binding, confidential and tamper-proof. The innovation is currently being tested in a pilot project in Friedrichshafen and should be launched nationwide after adoption of the De-Mail Act. Anyone who has a computer with Internet access can use De-Mail.

Potential savings: EUR 1.5 billion

The Federal Ministry of the Interior estimates the potential savings for authorities, companies and private citizens to be up to EUR 1.5 billion. “Sending sensitive documents such as sales contracts or paystubs via the Internet is no longer being thwarted. This saves government authorities and the business community a lot of time," says T-Systems project manager Gert Metternich. In order for the De-Mail to be legally binding, the sender and recipient must first clearly identify themselves. All messages are transmitted over the network in encrypted format. Every user receives a confirmation from the provider, so the sender can prove that he/she sent the De-Mail. Providers must themselves become certified.