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POP3S
POP3S (Post Office Protocol Version 3 Secure) provides encrypted email retrieval for clients accessing their mailbox from mail servers, ensuring user authentication and message data remain protected during transit. It is essentially the secure version of POP3, using TLS/SSL to add a layer of encryption to prevent eavesdropping or tampering. POP3S is widely supported in mail clients and offers a simple, dependable method to securely access email stored on remote servers..
POP3S, operating over port 995, is the encrypted version of the Post Office Protocol version 3. Traditional POP3 allows an email client to connect to a mail server and download messages for local storage and offline management. POP3S encapsulates this communication within a TLS/SSL encrypted channel, providing confidentiality and integrity during transmission.
When a user connects via POP3S, the client first establishes an encrypted tunnel with the server by performing a TLS or SSL handshake. After encryption is negotiated, authentication credentials and message retrieval commands are transmitted securely. In typical configurations, client applications delete messages from the server once downloaded, though this behavior can usually be adjusted.
Compared to IMAPS (Internet Message Access Protocol Secure), POP3S is simpler and typically suited for users who want to download and store emails locally rather than keeping them on the server. It remains a popular choice for legacy systems and environments demanding straightforward email retrieval with a minimal protocol footprint.