Web-based e-mail security

[Edward Hasbrouck]

One way around the problem of users getting access to 
previous users' caches, cookies, etc. from browsing (or 
checking e-mail) is to use a browser that can be set to delete 
these all at the end of each session.  

Neither MS-IE nor Netscape can be set to do this.  Opera can 
be set to clear the cache automatically on exit, and to refuse 
all cookies automatically, making it the best choice for a 
secure graphical browser. (On the downside, it isn't free, but 
does have substantially reduced prices for nonprofit and 
multiple-copy licenses.) If cookies are enabled, however, Opera 
can't be set automatically to clear them (although it has been 
suggested, and may be included in a future release).  So you 
would have to find a way to secure the user preferences, or 
reset them before each session (e.g. by running a batch file 
that reloads them from a read-only file on a secure server 
before loading Lynx for each session).  

Lynx automatically deletes both cookies and the cache on 
exit, so it is the best choice for security against users spying 
on previous users.  

The problem (aside from users wanting to look at images) with 
accessing e-mail via Lynx is that web-based free e-mail sites 
are generally supported by (graphical banner) advertising, and 
thus not designed with text-only or Lynx-friendly paths.  

Does anyone know of a Lynx-friendly provider of free web-
based e-mail?  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Edward