Re: Is SSL on POP3 advantageous?

[Damian Gerow <dgerow@afflictions.org>]

Thus spake Ed Wandasiewicz (wanded@breathemail.net) [20/02/04 08:24]:
: Is SSL on POP3 advantageous compared to not having SSL on POP3?
: 
: An ADSL provider doesn't think so. I received the following from them:

I work for an ADSL provider, and can see both sides of the story.  However,
they're not talking about SSL.  Look at the fourth line of their reply:

: "Firstly, somone would have to be sniffing his connection to get his
: password, this is unlikely (unless he's upset someone).  Secondly you
: couldn't get everyones passwords without sniffing from our end of the
: network, this is virtually impossible.  Thirdly APOP doesn't add much

                           Starting here: ^                            ^

: security if any at all over normal pop, the only advantage is the password
: doesn't travel clear text over the network.   The drawbacks are that if
: someone could sniff your network, they can still intercept your email, also
: the password then has to be stored clear text at both the client and the
: server, instead of one way encrypted as it currently is."

They're discussing APOP, not POP3 over SSL.  Different beast altogether.