In 2022, Microsoft stopped supporting Basic Authentication, an older, less secure method of accessing Microsoft 365 services. After this change took effect, older and some third-party email, calendar, and mobile apps stopped working.
Please review the Recommended Steps section to find out if this change affected you and if so, what to do.
Background
Hosting Drake's email and calendar data in Microsoft's cloud offers unparalleled reliability, flexibility, and security, but it also means Drake is required to keep up with Microsoft's requirements.
Historically, Microsoft has supported nearly every protocol and method of accessing email and calendar, including several that do not allow for modern security controls. With cyber attacks becoming more common and sophisticated, Microsoft has chosen to phase out these old and insecure protocols. If you'd like to learn more about Microsoft's decision, please read their blog post titled Improving Security - Together.
Unfortunately, this also means that some classic and widely used apps have stopped working. In some cases, a settings change or app upgrade may resolve the issue. In other cases, the only option is to switch to a compatible app.
Recommended Steps
If you use several apps and devices to access your Drake mailbox and calendar, you may need to take different steps for each method you use. Keep in mind,
Outlook
Outlook is the only email client officially supported by Drake ITS and is highly recommended for the best experience on both computers and mobile devices.
Outlook on the Web
If you use a web browser to access your mailbox, then you don't need to do anything. Outlook on the Web already uses the most secure access methods.
Outlook for PC and Mac
Depending on the version of Outlook that you use, you may need to upgrade. This guide explains how to determine which version you're using.
- Outlook 2016 or newer: No action is needed.
- Outlook 2013 or older: You should upgrade to Outlook 365 or newer.
Outlook Mobile apps
The Outlook mobile apps for iOS and Android are fully compatible, and no action is needed.
Other Email Applications
Apple/Mac Mail
- Mac OS 10.14 or newer: The built-in Mail app will work. Depending on how the account was originally added, the mail account profile may need to be deleted and re-added.
- Mac OS 13.13 or older: The built-in Mail app will not work. To continue accessing your Drake email account, Mac OS will need to be upgraded, or you can switch to using Outlook for Mac or Outlook on the Web.
POP/IMAP apps such as Thunderbird, eM Client, Mailbird, etc.
Email apps that only use legacy protocols such as POP, IMAP, or Exchange ActiveSync will not be able to access Drake mailboxes. Many of these app developers upgraded their apps to be compatible with Modern Authentication. If an updated version is not available, ITS recommends switching to Outlook or Outlook on the Web.
iOS Email apps
- iOS 11 or newer: The built-in Mail app will work. Depending on how the account was originally added, the mail account profile may need to be deleted and re-added.
- iOS 10 or older: The built-in Mail app will not work. To continue accessing your Drake email account, iOS will need to be upgraded, or you can switch to using Outlook for iOS.
Email apps offered by third-party developers are not guaranteed to work.
Android Email apps
The only app known to work with Modern Authentication on the Android platform is Outlook for Android.
Obtaining an Outlook version compatible with Modern Authentication
Desktop clients
Outlook for Windows and Mac is available to all Drake employees and students as part of the Microsoft Office Productivity Suite. Follow the instructions for Microsoft Office Suite in the Available Software Downloads KB article, listed under the Related Articles section. These instructions work for all computers and platforms.
Mobile clients
Visit the Apple or Google Play app store and search for Microsoft Outlook.