Transmission of e-mails on the Internet

Similar to letter mail, e-mails on the Internet are sent from one “mail center” to the next “mail center” in the form of computer servers and finally delivered to the addressees. Unlike letter mail, however, there is no single service provider responsible for the transport and delivery of e-mail via the Internet. The e-mail is forwarded along unpredictable routes via many computers in a wide variety of companies, authorities and countries. In addition, the identity of the sender is not verified.

In general, an e-mail is most comparable to a postcard, which can be read and even changed by all kinds of people on its way. So it could happen, for example, that you receive an e-mail with a forged sender address or altered contents!

The following pages explain the various dangers involved in e-mail use.