Microsoft has announced changes to the way users will sign in to their personal email accounts through Outlook, Hotmail, and Live. A decision that comes after recommending users stop using passwords and opt for more secure methods.
These modifications, which will come into force as of September 16, 20204, mark the end of the use of basic credentials, to begin using more complex and modern systems, which allow increasing security in email accounts.
For years, basic authentication, which simply required a username and password, was the de facto standard for logging into email accounts. However, This practice has become increasingly vulnerable to increasing cyber attacks and sophisticated phishing techniques used by online criminals.
For this reason, Microsoft has recognized this vulnerability and has decided to take measures to mitigate the risks associated with unauthorized access to its users’ email accounts.
In an official statement published on the Outlook blog, Microsoft detailed the upcoming changes that They will affect all users of personal email accounts such as Hotmail, Outlook and Live.
“Basic authentication is an outdated industry standard. The threats it poses have only increased over time, and we have already deprecated Basic Authentication in many products. There are better and more effective user authentication alternatives,” the company published in a statement.
All users must adopt modern authentication methods that add an additional security factor, such as two-step verification using a mobile number, an alternate email address, or a security token. This measure seeks to protect accounts against unauthorized access and the possible reuse of stolen credentials.
For many users accustomed to basic authentication, this change will mean adjustments to the way they access their emails on a daily basis. Starting September 16, 2024, those who have not set up additional security methods on their accounts will experience difficulties signing insuch as the inability to access your emails.
“With modern authentication methods, we apply additional processes/tokens that users may not notice and that add an extra layer of security. “Anyone who tries to use an app that does not support modern authentication will no longer be able to access their email from those apps,” the company reported in a post.
Microsoft has recommended several measures to ease the transition to authentication. One of the most accessible options is to download the official Outlook application on iOS, Android, Mac or Windows devicesor use email clients such as Apple Mail or Mozilla Thunderbird that support modern authentication.
In this way, basic authentication (username and password) will no longer be supported for Microsoft personal email accounts after the established date.
In addition to the removal of basic authentication, Microsoft has also announced the end of support for the Mail and Calendar apps for Windows by the end of 2024, urging users to migrate to the Outlook for Windows app, which offers advanced features and support for modern authentication.
He also confirmed the closure of the light version of Outlook for August 19, 2024. This application is intended for users with older or entry-level cell phones, but according to the company’s parameters it no longer meets the security requirements and those who have these phones will have to access Outlook.com through a browser to review your email.
