Proton is a Swiss software developer known for its end-to-end encrypted products. Proton started with an encrypted mail app (Proton Mail) and then released additional software around that experience. The list includes Proton Pass, a password manager; Proton VPN, a VPN service; various productivity apps (Calendar, Drive, and Docs); and Proton Lumo, an AI chatbot. All of these are available under the same Proton account, with paid subscriptions providing access to better features and higher limits.
But all the sensitive information a Proton account protects with its strong encryption can become unavailable to anyone in case an emergency incapacitates the user, or if the account holder dies. That changes starting Thursday, as Proton announced a new Emergency Access feature that will allow paid Proton account holders to add up to five friends and family members to a list of trusted contacts who can gain access to the Proton account in emergencies.
How Proton Emergency Access works
Proton said in a blog post that Emergency Access is a “highly requested feature.” If enabled, it ensures that all the content locked behind strong encryption continues to be available while a user is incapacitated. Without Emergency Access enabled on an account, the emails, passwords, documents, and files protected by encryption would be inaccessible. Only the account password can unlock that content. The company can’t unlock encrypted apps; that’s the whole point of encryption. The same would happen with a password-protected iPhone. Only the password can unlock the device. Apple can’t do it.
The Emergency Access menu seen in the images above and below will be available in the Proton apps starting Thursday. Users will be able to access the menu and set up to five trusted contacts who will receive access to the account under specific rules. An invited person can access the account immediately if the user approves it, or after a custom wait time. The Emergency Access feature can add peace of mind to Proton users looking to be prepared in case of unforeseen circumstances.
What’s important to note here is that Proton users won’t give other people unrestricted access to their accounts. The Proton user would have to approve any account access request. Most people will deny those requests if they can still access their Proton apps. Setting a custom wait time means a contact can get access to someone’s Proton data automatically after that time passes. If you choose a 7-day wait time like in the examples above and below, a family or friend will have access seven days after one of their access requests goes unanswered, a sign that you might be incapacitated.
Security and costs
The new security feature is protected by the same strong encryption Proton uses for all its apps. “Emergency Access offers a secure and simple way to grant access to loved ones in the case of an emergency,” Proton senior product manager Daniel Rivera Jäggi said in a statement. “Like all of Proton’s products and features, Emergency Access has been engineered with privacy and security in mind and offers users an effective tool to add an extra layer of assurance and peace of mind to their Proton account without compromising end-to-end encryption.”
Proton said in the blog post that Emergency Access will be available to paid Proton users on August 28th. If you use a free Proton account, you might want to upgrade to a paid subscription to take advantage of this security feature. Proton Unlimited starts at $12.99/month, though you’ll get a discount if you buy an entire year of access. Proton also offers plans for families and businesses.
