Question

Email was originally designed to be used to send simple text messages. MIME has enabled the transfer of complex data types. Comment on the security versus usability of having MIME-enabled email.

Answer 1

MIME has enabled the trasfer of complex data type i.e. It allows us to send, receive and view e-mail messages that supports audio, images, video, applications and texts written in character sets other than ASCII. MIME expands the horizons of e-mail communications.

Security :-

As SMTP-based email is vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks and snooping, since the emails can be read by unwanted third parties.

So, S/MIME is a technology that allows you to encrypt your emails. S/MIME is based on asymmetric cryptography to protect your emails from unwanted access. It provides cryptographic security services such as authentication, message integrity, and non-repudiation of origin.

Logically it is not possible to have a third party inspecting email for malware and also have secure end-to-end communications. Encryption will not only encrypt the messages, but also the malware.

Usability :-  

The usability of S/MIME is that it has shown user friendly environment for the concepts of public-key infrastructure (PKI) , Pretty Good privacy(PGP) , certificates. A digital signature in which user can use its private key to generate a cryptographic package that a recipient can verify only by using public key and original message was also selected for email transmission.

It is used in sending complex data types i.e. files, audio, videos etc. It makes the use to e-mail wide and people send their data easily and securely.

Thumps up!