Proton’s hide-my-email alias feature is now available in the Proton Mail desktop app and web interface. This feature, which generates proxy addresses to mask your real email, used to be exclusive to Proton Pass.
Giving away your real email address can have some negative consequences. Websites may sell your address to advertisers or fill your inbox with spam. And if a website falls victim to a data breach, your email address may be exposed along with other sensitive or identifying information.
These problems can be avoided or mitigated by using email aliases. Essentially, Proton Mail will generate a random email address that forwards incoming messages to your inbox. If this proxy address becomes a highway for spam, it can be disabled. In the event of a data breach, hackers may only obtain your email alias, meaning that your actual email address (and any associated accounts) cannot be identified.
To access hide-my-email aliases in Proton Mail, simply open the desktop or web client and open the Security Center on the right side of your screen. The Security Center is also the new home of Proton’sSentinel—a system that logs connected devices, IP addresses, and sign-in attempts. Sentinel is disabled by default and is intended for those who may be the target of attacks, such as journalists, politicians, or business owners.
Note that other services, such asiCloudandFirefox Relay, can also generate proxy email addresses. Proton’s solution is unique because it’s directly integrated with the privacy-focused Proton Mail and Proton Pass services. Still, if you’re just looking for an email alias system, Proton is one ofmanyoptions. And because Proton’s implementation requires a paid account, it isn’t even the cheapest option.
All Proton apps and services are available for free. But the hide-my-email alias feature requires a paid Proton Mail account. I suggest that you give the free version ofProton Maila spin. If it lives up to your expectations, the paid version starts at $48 a year (about $4 a month) and includes some extra features, such as a larger inbox and an inbox with a customizable domain.
