Technology 3 min read

Tired of Google Reading Your Emails? How Helm Helps you Take Control

sdecoret / Shutterstock.com

sdecoret / Shutterstock.com

This article details information about how email servers can help mitigate security risks.

Regardless of your level of use, if you are familiar with Gmail from Google, then you likely know that Google can, in fact, read your emails.

The tech giant claimed recently that they don’t do it. But other sources suggested otherwise and that third party apps can read your emails, too. I suppose that’s the price we pay for having free email and 15GB of storage (excluding Google Drive and Photos).

So how can an email server like Helm help you take back control of your emails?

Who invented Helm and What Does Helm do?

Helm, a startup based in Seattle, unveiled its device — an email server — in October.

Giri Sreenivas and Dirk Sigurdson conceived the idea and they are not strangers to startup life. The entrepreneurs sold another security startup, raising a $4-million seed round last year from various venture capital firms.

The device designed by their team resembles an upturned book or a tent. It connects to your home network and also pairs with a companion mobile app. Users can then create passwords, a domain name, and even recovery keys.

The server also supports standard mail clients such as the Mail app or Microsoft Outlook. It provides encryption between apps and devices, as well.

With such a usefulness to it, it’s no wonder that Helm’s investor list includes some heavy hitters like:

  • Initialized Capital (Instacart and Coinbase investor)
  • Liquid 2 Ventures
  • Lemnos Labs
  • Fuel Capital
  • CrunchFund

It also includes some solo angel investors like Lee Lindon, Steve Jang, and Geoff Entress. But Initialized Capital features as a managing partner.

The server is very out of the way, packs a punch, and doesn’t compromise your data. However, although convenient, it does come with a $499 USD price tag, as well as a $99 annual fee.

A Small Price to pay for Peace of Mind

Though it features a usage fee on top of the original price, Helm presents a new trend.

While some users might not care about email security, others see many potential issues. After all, if your company deals with sensitive client information or even just wants to protect its own interests and finances, email security is key.

Helm provides added security by establishing a connection with the Helm gateway service. It gives you a static IP address and then handles network configuration. After that, you can tweak your server settings via the app.

Amazon currently hosts the Helm security gateway and communicates over a VPN.

The new server also features 120 gigabytes of storage and features offsite backup. It also encrypts the data and only the user is able to decrypt it. But no one puts Helm’s usefulness as well as a blog on their own site.

“We are no longer satisfied allowing our data to live on a stranger’s computer. We’re fed up. Enough is enough. We are reclaiming our right. We’re taking control of our online lives.”

What do you think about using private, at-home email servers like Helm for added email security?

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Juliet Childers

Content Specialist and EDGY OG with a (mostly) healthy obsession with video games. She covers Industry buzz including VR/AR, content marketing, cybersecurity, AI, and many more.

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