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You send it

A customer calls you and places an order for several items. You send the customer a proposal by email which they accept by replying to the email. You therefore start manufacturing the items. A few days later the customer calls again, this time to cancel the job. You insist that, as agreed, you are about to finish the production of the items, but he gives you an excuse and hangs up.

You decide when

We may imagine many other situations in which you may want to have a given email accredited and be able to prove that it was sent, when and to whom. This is exactly what the Evidence does: Certify your email with an eEvid without letting the recipient know about it.

Whenever you want to send an eEvid, compose the email as usual and send it to the Evidence (with or without attachments) by simply adding the ".eevid.com" wildcard to the end of the recipient's email address.

Emails you send always pass through your mail server or provider. They are then delivered to the recipient's mail server according to the domain name of the destination email address. In the above example, if you didn't add ".eevid.com", your mail server would deliver the email to the "domain.com" mail server. However, with the wildcard included, it will deliver it to the "domain.com.eevid.com" server; that's us. Once we get it, we process the email and deliver it to the recipient's actual server. It doesn't matter who your email provider is; the device you use to send emails; whether you use your work's or a web-based free email address: Once you click on Send, your email will get to us.

Digital Fingerprint

When we receive your email, the first thing we do is to generate a PDF file with a print of your email header and body. Next, we obtain a hash (digital fingerprint) from that file through cryptography; if your email has any attachments, we also obtain a Hash from each of them.

This Hash is obtained through a standard cryptographic algorithm: the SHA-256 designed by the USA National Security Agency (NSA). By using this public algorithm we allow anyone in the future to verify that the email and its attachments remain intact, i.e. they have not later been modified.

In order to obtain the Hash, the file type and size of the attachments is not relevant. It doesn't matter whether you want to certify a contract or business proposal in text format, a multimedia file or a program's source code: if its a digital file, we'll get its Hash.

We deliver it

Other email certification services will not actually deliver your email to the recipient: what they send THE RECIPIENT is an email notification with a link to access your email on a website, clearly warning them that the whole process, including opening the email, is being monitored and registered. The Evidence avoids this level of intrusion.

Invisible

The eEvids's sole purpose is to accredit your emails and digital files i.e. to protect your rights over its content, objective, delivery and usage. In no way does it intend to be an intimidating tool, much less undermine the mutual confidence among people and organizations. There are, however, circumstances under which relationships get spoiled and what started to be a trusted relationship ends in disagreement and dispute.

This is why we will deliver your email to all recipients transparently, removing any signs of the eEvid accreditation and any references to the Evidence. You have the right to accredit your emails and files and it is only for you to decide so. Therefore, there's no reason why you should tell the recipient about it, unless you want to.

As soon we are done obtaining the digital fingerprints, we connect with the recipient's email server and start delivery of your email. If nothing unusual happens, your email will be delivered within seconds.

Delivery acknowledgment

The delivery of an email consists of a transmission of data over a connection established between the sender's and the recipient's email servers. The Evidence doesn't behave any differently.

During transmission, both servers exchange different data and commands based on the SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) standard. Among these are the IP address of both servers, confirmation that the recipient's email address is valid, and a confirmation of reception is provided. When the recipient's email server confirms acceptance of an email, it usually returns the key by which the email has been internally stored and identified. This key is unique for every email and each email server uses its own method in order to generate it.

We accredit delivery, not opening

The Evidence registers the data that confirms the successful transmission, delivery and acceptance of the email, as well as the key that it has been assigned by the destination's server. The discreet way in which the Evidence works means that we would not contemplate requesting confirmation that the recipient has opened the email. However there will be no doubt that your email has reached the recipients Inbox.

You receive the proof

In order to allow your email to be presented as strong and reliable proof, it is necessary to irrefutably accredit three fundamental facts; to who it was sent; what did it contain and when did that event happen. The Evidence is near-perfect in achieving this goal.

To who it was sent

Since we receive your email before it gets delivered, the Evidence is able to extract the data that will be relevant to its future accreditation. This includes, the email address of each recipient, the IP address of their email server and the unique key by which each email has been identified on arrival.

What did it contain

It is complex and expensive, maybe even impossible, to manually compare a digital file to certify that it is identical to the one claimed to have been sent by email. Fortunately, there's a simpler and more reliable way: Compare their Hash.

The SHA-256 cryptographic algorithm used by the Evidence will always generate the same Hash for a digital file (or copies of the file). Any changes made in that file will return a different Hash. It is not possible to obtain the same Hash from two different digital files.

Based on these premises, if the Hash obtained from a given digital file is identical to a Hash registered by an eEvid, we can guarantee that the files that generated each Hash are identical.

When was it sent

As soon as we deliver your email, we create a PDF file called an eEvid Certificate containing all the data registered thus far. By itself this file should server as prove, but doubts about our impartiality could always arise. In order to achieve the necessary level of legal credibility, the eEvid Certificate is then digitally signed using an electronic signature with an encapsulated trusted timestamp provided by an independent TSA (Time Stamp Authority).

The result is a document that certifies that its content already existed at a given moment in time, the timestamp date, and that it has not been modified since. Therefore, if a Hash already existed on a given date, the digital file from which that particular Hash was obtained also existed at that time.

The Evidence certification process ends by delivering you, via email, the eEvid Certificate digitally signed and timestamped, together with the PDF copy of your email's original content. If you ever need to legally accredit it, the proof you need will be in your hands, and it will have cost you nothing.

You pay nothing

The Evidence revolutionizes how emails are certified, making it possible to do so without the intervention of the recipient. Something like this does not come out from nothing. These have been months of research, analysis, design, programming and tests. On the other side, the Evidence doesn't run from a garage, but from a solid and secure IT platform designed to provide high availability and reliable service. Finally, we pay for every timestamp provided by the TSA but sending an eEvid is free for you, the customer.

Just different

There's a reason that explains why the companies providing conventional email certification charge for their services. They conceive it just as a business, have made considerable investments, and they want a good return. We, on the contrary, look beyond by considering the Evidence mainly as a contribution to the information society, because ultimately, the eEvid serves a unique and necessary function.

Who is behind the Evidence?

The Evidence has been devised and developed by the team that form SerenaMail, an IT company privately founded in 1997 and based in Barcelona.

In our beginnings we were pioneers in providing SaaS email security services. We are now applying this same pioneering spirit to the Evidence. We gain great satisfaction from protecting our customers against junk and attacks they may receive through email; but that did not prevent us from relentlessly pursuing the perfect Evidence.

It had to be done

With the Evidence we simply wanted to provide a method that can offer people and organizations total protection over the contents of any email sent and received. We believe we have succeeded.

Behind the Evidence there is a significant investment; mainly in the form of gray matter. For years we have managed millions of emails each day as part of our email security services. Thus we already had the knowledge and infrastructure for the Evidence service. We want to get something back from the Evidence, our ground-breaking service. The recognition that will result from the acceptance and widespread use of eEvid will be sufficient for us.

Improving the Perfect: Evidence+

Our mission is to provide an, eminently free, service that certifying emails and digital files by the means of an eEvid. To obtain an eEvid is, and always will be, available for free. However, for those requiring a more intensive, extended and secure service, an Evidence+ version with advanced features is available.

Welcome to the Evidence!

Evidence

In 1971 Ray Tomlinson sent himself the first email in history through ARPANET, the forerunner network of today's Internet. Today, millions of people and organizations around the world exchange billions of emails every day. Email is without doubt one of the most widespread methods of communication on the planet, but almost none will serve as evidence in future legal proceedings.

The strength of a signature

Emails we normally send and receive lack a valid signature and therefore, would be very difficult to use in a court of law as evidence. Also, the contents, addresses and headers of an email can be easily falsified. This means that they need to be corroborated. If we want an email to be evidence in itself, it is necessary to prove it in some way.

Conventional certification

Today there are many online services that allow you to send certified emails. However they all share a major flaw in their mode of operation. In addition to their cost, the method used involves notifying the recipient that both the email contents and the fact that they are reading it, will be registered. This aggressive approach may be effective in situations of loss of trust between parties, but is certainly not appropriate for the vast majority of emails sent daily.

How is it possible that in today's advanced technical environment, the only way to verify the delivery of an email is by using complex, intrusive and expensive methods? This is the origin of the Evidence.

The eEvid simplicity

The Evidence is a simple, rapid and eminently free method to establish proof that the content of a particular email was delivered to a third party at a verifiable time; an eEvid.

Unlike other email certification services, the keys of the Evidence accreditation are that it is performed in seconds; there's no need to keep copies of the emails and files within the service and, most importantly; it doesn't require the recipient to intervene or even know about it.

Specifically, an eEvid is a PDF file that contains a full record of the email, a record of any attachments and of the transmission details of its delivery. This PDF file is digitally signed with an inviolable timestamp provided by a Time Stamp Authority (TSA). The integrity and dating of the file are therefore guaranteed by the signature and the trusted timestamp, both of which are easily verifiable by anyone, at any time and in countless public websites not related to the Evidence.

Main features

100% accredited
We use pure cryptography to certify your digital files and the delivery of your email; who it was sent to, what it contained and when it was sent. This data is available for future use.

Free service
Can you imagine certifying your emails and files for free? Don't just imagine it; an eEvid is not only free, but also fast, simple and transparent.

Only you will know
The Evidence email certification method requires no action from the recipient. No one but you will know that your email has been accredited by an eEvid.

Notice of receipt
Forget about read receipts! The Evidence pursues discretion and will never request any action from the recipient of your email. Do not worry, though; you will get unquestionable proof certifying their mail server did indeed accept it.

Forever
The combination of digital signatures, timestamps and cryptographic digests allows us to guarantee the proof is everlasting. It doesn't matter how many years go by; when you need it, it will be there.

Expert Report
In a legal process, the eEvid Certificate should be all you need to prove the contents and delivery of an email. Should you require more evidence, request our inexpensive Expert Report.

Global standards
We will not just certify your email's delivery and content; we will also digitally sign and date that event by means of an inviolable timestamp provided by a Time Stamp Authority recognized worldwide.

Can you send an email?
Wherever you are, whenever you want, from any device, regardless of who your email provider is and how you access the Internet; if you can send an email, you can send an eEvid.

Better with Evidence+
With Evidence+ you get unlimited eEvids for both outgoing and incoming emails. We also offer the option of keeping a permanent copy of all your eEvids and digital files you have certified.

Want more?

Evidence+ for demanding users

Getting eEvids for certifying and proving your emails and digital files is, and will always be, free. We can, however, offer you more options to accredit your email communications and to protect your intellectual rights over your digital files.

Check out the advanced features provided with the Evidence+ and see how we can improve on an already awesome free service.