[ILUG] Q of the moment: does SSL matter? ( for webmail & pop & imap & smtp & ... ? )

[Brendan Kehoe]

While we're on the topic of webmail clients, I'm curious ... I notice 
that GMail has an option to let you use regular http vs https for your 
GMail sessions, with it automatically redirecting you if necessary.

I've been in the habit of encrypt-if-possible for a long time, and thus 
folks using Horde+IMP on our host are also automatically redirected to 
make sure they use the SSL-guarded connection.

To be a devil's advocate: does it matter, really?  Except for sitting in 
Internet cafes or libraries, do you need to use SSL when using a webmail 
interface?  Or even when downloading your mail?  When's the last time 
you read about an ISP being hacked so people could sniff packets?  If 
your home wireless is set up with WPA, is that enough to keep strangers 
lurking in the woods behind your house from watching your browsing habits?

I've gotten into a long long discussion with someone over this, and my 
debate skills of US high school are long gone, so I couldn't hold my 
side of the argument.  What would you say to the question of whether SSL 
is actually necessary for things like email?

Yours in the joy of privacy,
B
P.S. I won't sign this with my PGP key, just in the spirit of keeping 
the question focused.  heh.