The Premise
The current email implementation on the Enhance platform risks becoming
obsolete for the European market. As NIS 2 (Network and Information
Security Directive) enforcement begins, standard TLS is no longer
sufficient for "essential" or "important" entities. Without native
DNSSEC and TLSA (DANE) management, the Enhance mail feature will
fail to meet the "state-of-the-art" security requirements demanded
by EU regulators.
- The Vulnerability of Standard Mail Delivery
Standard email encryption (STARTTLS) suffers from a fundamental "trust"
deficit that leaves users exposed:
Downgrade Attacks (STRIPTLS): Attackers can intercept handshakes and
force servers into cleartext communication.
CA Vulnerability: Reliance on external Certificate Authorities is a
risk. A single compromised CA allows an attacker to intercept and
decrypt "secure" traffic via spoofed certificates.
- The Solution: DANE & TLSA
DANE (DNS-based Authentication of Named Entities) leverages DNSSEC to
create a cryptographically verifiable chain of trust.
TLSA Records: By storing the certificate fingerprint directly in
signed DNS records, you eliminate the "Man-in-the-Middle" (MitM) risk.
Enforced Security: DANE signals to the sender that encryption is
mandatory. If the handshake or the hash doesn't match, the mail is
not sent, preventing data leakage.
Sovereign Trust (Usage 3): Organizations can move away from
third-party CA dependency, a key principle of digital sovereignty.
- NIS 2: From "Best Practice" to Legal Requirement
NIS 2 is not just a suggestion; it is a directive with teeth.
State-of-the-Art: Regulators now view DANE/TLSA as the baseline
for secure transport.
Supply Chain & Liability: Under NIS 2, providers must ensure secure
communication channels. Failure to implement DANE for critical or
significant entities could lead to non-compliance audits and
significant personal liability for management.
Market Pressure: European businesses will soon be forced to move
away from platforms that cannot guarantee DANE-verified delivery.
Why Enhance.com Must Act Now
While Enhance is a powerful tool for common hosting environments, it
has the potential to lead the market in security. Integrating
automated TLSA record generation and DNSSEC management is the only
way to elevate standard email servers to the level of security
required in a post-NIS 2 world.
Without this, the mail feature becomes a liability for European
users rather than an asset.
