Post by Ralph FoxI believe this means app passwords are unique for each app that signs in.
1. You create one app password for Agent, enter that into Agent,
but don't remember/record it anywhere else.
2. You create a second app password for Pegasus, enter it into Pegasus,
but don't remember/record it anywhere else.
3. You create a third app password for Eudora, enter it into Eudora,
but don't remember/record it anywhere else.
If you later decide to ditch Eudora, the idea is you could login to
your Microsoft Account and cancel only that particular app password.
The fly in the ointment with this idea is that Microsoft (unlike Google)
does not let you give a name to each app password. So in your Microsoft
Account, you may not be able to tell which one is the one you want to
cancel. I presume Microsoft expects you to cancel all your app passwords
and then create new ones for Agent and Pegasus.
Thank you so much for your detailed response. I must say that on each
of the rare occasions over the past 30(ish) years that I've felt the
need to look for a solution to an Agent issue or potential issue, the
relevant info has already been posted here. More often than not by
your good self as well ! Your efforts are, as always, very much
appreciated :)
What you're suggesting is mostly what I assumed when I first read the
warning email so I obviously hope that we're both right ! It's just
that as time has marched on and the deadline approaches, I've also
seen more than a few reports of issues suggesting everything goes t*ts
up after a few successful access attempts and/or after some elapsed
period of time. Both of which kinda suggested App Passwords are not
valid indefinitely. Here's hoping this is just down to same MS issues
which are causing traditional username/password rejections and things
will stabilise in September. I wouldn't put any money on it though :P
Obviously MS can (and no doubt will) make life intentionally difficult
over time by refusing access for one random reason or another until a
new App Password has been obtained and all relevant hoops have been
jumped through. Just like they repeatedly have done over the years by
locking A/Cs and forcing users to change their normal password on the
pretence of security issues. Any excuse to 'encourage' users to just
do what we say when we say it and stop being awkward by falling into
line and using webmail or Outlook potentially insecure bloatware so we
can get a much better look at what you're doing !
This change is certainly a thorough PITA in all respects though not to
mention potentially making my email so ***@mn secure that not even I can
access it any more !
It also sounds to me like meticulous record keeping of App Password
and the specific system/application that it's being used for is going
to be required here. If only so you can manage stored App Passwords
sensibly if MS deem it unnecessary to 'name' them for ID purposes.
Otherwise it will likely end up like on one particular financial
services A/C I have where there are currently several dozen system
'profiles' despite me only ever using the same PC on the same IP
address for donkey's years. Every time I log in, yet another access
'profile' is created after a lengthy delay while my system is
allegedly 'secured' so it can be recognised immediately next time !
My main desktop system runs Agent and DLs everything from everywhere
automatically on a daily basis, most of the time autonomously. I also
have several other systems using Agent/Sylpheed etc plus standard web
access if needs be. They all access the same mail A/Cs using POP3/IMAP
on an as/when required basis from various different IPs and locations
at various different times. Providing that no two are ever trying to
do so at exactly the same time then all is usually well. This has been
the case for donkey's years now with no particular issues being
experienced. Presumably each application on each system will require
it's own unique App Password and all of them will then require
updating if/when MS start playing silly b*ggers !
I can see this login nonsense all going horribly wrong when I'm
several hundred miles away from where I need to be in order to try to
fix it and will be for several weeks/months. A complete loss of email
access, junk mail false positive error checking and archiving for
several weeks/months every time MS do something stupid. Going by past
MS stupidity and apparent user manipulation I'm also expecting much
the same "we've disabled your A/C and you must change your password
now because we've (quite falsely) detected security issues" or
whatever as has happened so many times over the years since hotmail
ended up being acquired by MS. Quite blatantly MS server issues and/or
deliberate attempts to force users to jump through hoops on demand and
change their password. No genuine hacking attempts or security issues
were ever detected it was always down to an MS redirect to a different
MS server that was causing apparent multiple or dubious access
attempts to be logged. This then resulted in accounts being locked and
subsequently needing to be reactivated with a new password.
So, all I need to do now is resolve the mobile phone issues so that I
can jump through all the required MS hoops on demand using the mobile
phone that I don't actually have to connect to the phone mast that
doesn't actually exist to receive a code to access my email. Just to
replicate what I've been doing quite satisfactorily and without any
particular issue for the past 30(ish) years !
Dontcha just love shiny new 'upgrades' that make life infinitely more
difficult, expensive and time consuming than what has worked almost
completely flawlessly and without fail for several decades ;)
As per usual, the hackers, scammers, bad guys in general and MS win
again by successfully making life unnecessarily difficult for every
normal user just trying to do what should be very quick/simple tasks.
--
Mike
email: mikeb <at> twowheels <dot> plus <dot> com