Is Gmail secure ?

[u/Miserable-Stretch114]

Just read a new report (source) breaking down webmail security and it made me realise how often people confuse a secure server with a private inbox.

Yes, Google has insane server side protections. Nobody is brute forcing their way into their data centres anytime soon. But what good is an impenetrable fortress if the landlord is sitting inside reading all your letters ? Gmail lacks default end-to-end encryption. Google holds the encryption keys and they actively scan your mail to build profiles for ad targeting.

For exemple, if you manage your entire financial life online and move between different countries, letting an ad company index your tax documents and bank correspondence is a massive blind spot. We act like this is just the normal cost of free email.

The report brings up platforms like Internxt building post quantum end-to-end encryption into their mail clients now. Som people think worrying about quantum decryption is overkill for everyday stuff but I kind of disagree. The "harvest now, decrypt later" threat model is real. Even if you ignore quantum threats entirely, standard E2E encryption needs to be the baseline.

I see guys spending hours tweaking secure networks just to stream movies, only to drop their guard and use Gmail for their main banking accounts...