Microsoft has announced new security changes for personal Outlook email accounts as part of its " Secure Future Initiative ," including the removal of basic authentication ( username + password ) by September 16, 2024 .
See also: Microsoft Outlook Lite: New important feature on Android!
The software giant also announced the end of support for the "Mail" and "Calendar" apps on Windows, the removal of Outlook Light , and the removal of the ability for users to access Gmail accounts through Outlook.com.
Starting September 16, 2024, security changes will phase out Basic Authentication (username and password) for Outlook clients for all personal Outlook accounts, including Outlook.com, Hotmail.com , and Live.com.
Basic authentication is insecure because it sends credentials over the wire without encryption, allowing network monitoring tools to capture them. Additionally, browsers and other applications typically cache basic authentication credentials until the browser is restarted, allowing them to be used by others who have access to the device.
See also: Microsoft releases temporary fix for Outlook issues
With the transition to more modern authentication methods, basic authentication credentials will be replaced by token-based authentication supported by multi-factor authentication (MFA).
However, these security changes will cause problems for Outlook users using older applications that only support Basic authentication, as they will no longer be able to access Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, or Live.com email accounts after September 16.
Instead, users should switch to the latest versions of Outlook, Outlook for Windows, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, or other compatible email clients that support modern authentication methods.
Users with a Microsoft 365 subscription can use the version of Outlook included with their plan, while those using Outlook 2021 (build 11601.10000 or later) already have " Modern Authentication " and will not be affected.
See also: Microsoft Outlook: How to unsend an email?
Microsoft Outlook is one of the most popular email management and scheduling tools in the world, and with new security changes, it becomes even more efficient. It provides a comprehensive platform for sending, receiving, and organizing email, as well as calendar, contact, and task management capabilities. Thanks to its flexibility and integration with other Microsoft services, such as Office 365 and Teams, Outlook makes it easy to communicate and collaborate on a personal and professional level.
Source: bleepingcomputer
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