14 DAY TRIAL // Millions of Windows Live Hotmail users worldwide have already opted to add extra security to their email communication by enabling full-session HTTPS encryption (SSL) for their accounts. In fact, in excess of two million people leveraged the opt-in Secure Sockets Layer cryptographic protocol protection for Hotmail that Microsoft introduced in November 2010.
Dick Craddock, Group Program Manager, Hotmail revealed that enabling full-session HTTPS encryption for all Hotmail connections came with some caveats initially.
For example, once the users had opted-in to leverage encryption for their Hotmail messages, it meant that they could no longer connect their accounts with applications that did not feature SSL support.
As of this week, this has all changed. “I'm pleased to announce that we’ve expanded our SSL protection for Hotmail and other Windows Live services. These enhancements resolve your top two requests related to SSL support: You wanted the same SSL protection when using Windows Live Mail or Outlook, and you wanted more websites protected by SSL,” Craddock said.
Windows Live Hotmail can now grab the latest iterations of Windows Live Mail as well as of the outlook Hotmail Connector which also support SSL following upgrades introduced by Microsoft this week.
Users should also expect more SSL support and Windows Live announcements in the coming months, the software giant said, indicating that it will not stop with embracing encryption at the stage it’s now.
Craddock provided additional details about the most recent SSL-related advances for Windows Live services and clients:
“• We've updated Windows Live Mail to switch all traffic to SSL. There's no need to opt in to this feature; once you install the latest version of Mail, you'll automatically use SSL all the time. You can download the latest version of Windows Live Mail, or wait until your computer automatically upgrades.
• We've updated the Outlook Connector to switch all Hotmail traffic to SSL. Again, there's no need to opt in—all you need to do is download the latest version of the Outlook Connector.
• Finally, we've increased the number of Windows Live websites that support SSL. Now when you enable SSL, we'll ensure that all your PC and smartphone connections to hotmail.com and live.com websites are all carried over SSL.”
Windows Live Mail 2011 is available for download here. Outlook Hotmail Connector 14.0.6106.5001 is available for download here.