I don't think this would be a good idea, for several reasons:
- G-Mail is our (collective body of small MX service providers) largest competitor, and they, literally, give these services away,
- If the services are visible, not usable, and grayed out, I'm thinking this will cause way more support calls and tickets that the potential to up sell would generate in benefits.
Finally, thinking out loud, along the lines of SmarterMail security, you should really consider upgrading to SmarterMail 14.2.5704.
There are MAJOR security issues resolved in the latest version, including the facts that SmarterMail 14.2.5704 is now both:
- TLS 1.2 complaint - an absolute MANDATE if you host shopping carts which accept credit cards and want to continue to accept credit cards after 1 October, 2015, when the new 3.1.
- Failure to comply will result in ALL ability to accept credit cards being shut down
- SmarterMail , added FIPS 140-2 FIPS security compliance, bringing SmarterMail into a coveted level of security and allowing some unique opportunities for those of us who host our e-mail with SmarterMail:
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FIPS 140-2 defines four levels of security, simply named "Level 1" to "Level 4". It does not specify in detail what level of security is required by any particular application:
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FIPS 140.2, Level 1, the lowest level of FIPS 140-2 security, imposes very limited requirements, loosely stating that all components must be "production-grade" and various egregious kinds of insecurity must be absent from the code.
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FIPS 140-2, Level 2, adds requirements for physical, tamper-evidence, and roll-based authentication.
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FIPS 140-3, Level 2 adds requirements for physical, tamper-resistance (making it difficult for attackers to gain access to sensitive information contained in the module), also requires identity based authentication, and introduces the requirement for a physical, or logical, separation between the interfaces by which "critical security" parameters" enter and leave the module and its other interfaces.
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FIPS 140-2, Level 4, makes the physical security requirements more stringent, and requires additional robustness against environmental attacks.
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Summary: While the second half of my response may seem to be a bit off-topic, I believe that our efforts as e-mail and hosting providers need to be centered around excellence in customer service and being able to meet, with the highest level of security available, the needs of our customers at the best possible price-line while we, as providers, can still make a profit.
Bruce Barnes
ChicagoNetTech Inc
brucecnt@comcast.net
Phonr: (773) 491-9019
Phone: (224) 444-0169
E-Mail and DNS Security Specialist
Network Security Specialist
Customer Service Portal: https://portal.chicagonettech.com
Website: https://www.ChicagoNetTech.com
Security Blog: http://networkbastion.blogspot.com/
Web and E-Mail Hosting, E-Mail Security and Consulting