To provide desktop encryption software to protect e-mail content.

Network Solutions, a provider of web-based solutions, today announced its e-mail security service, called MessageGuard.

According to the company, this subscription service allows businesses and consumers to send and receive encrypted e-mail messages from Outlook and Outlook Express e-mail clients. Securing e-mail communications should be a concern for all of the estimated 400 million Outlook and Outlook Express users, but is particularly important for businesses that must comply with federal, state or industry regulations requiring protection of data.

MessageGuard was designed to allow anyone to send e-mails safely, knowing that only the intended recipients can open the messages. With MessageGuard, customers can send secure e-mail messages and attachments to anyone, even non-MessageGuard subscribers, regardless of the recipient's e-mail service provider. Using award-winning Identity-Based Encryption technology, MessageGuard does not require users to have an existing relationship with the recipient, so there is no need to exchange passwords, keys or certificates like other competitive services on the market, claims the company.

"E-mail is such a common form of communication today that consumers and business owners alike might sometimes forget how easy it is for their e-mail content to be viewed by unwanted sources, our MessageGuard service allows customers to easily send sensitive information securely," said Champ Mitchell, Chairman and CEO of Network Solutions.