Proton

Email metadata collected despite end-to-end encryption

Proton can see who you email, when, subject lines, and attachment names—information that reveals your contacts and communication patterns even though content is encrypted.

Unencrypted messages scanned in memory before encryption

When you receive emails from non-Proton users in plain text, Proton reads the full content in memory to filter spam, meaning unencrypted incoming mail is briefly accessible to Proton systems.

Backups kept unencrypted and inaccessible for 30 days

Even though Proton cannot decrypt your emails on live servers, encrypted backups are retained for up to 30 days—a window where they could theoretically be accessed if systems are compromised or law enforcement gains access.