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User profile for user: KitKatty
KitKatty Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

"Mail cannot send your password securely to the server."??

I'm new to a macbook.
I type in my information and i get this every time:
"Mail cannot send your password securely to the server.

You can continue without a secured password, which could put your password at risk. Alternatively, you can manually set up your account.

Do you want to continue without a secured password?"

I'm not sure what this means and i don't want to do anything stupid. I just bought it!
Any help? I'm trying to use an AOL account.

Macbook, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Sep 8, 2010 6:38 PM

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User profile for user: ryan42
ryan42
User level: Level 3
859 points

Posted on Sep 8, 2010 8:17 PM

For years and years most email servers accepted connections that were insecure, meaning that passwords were transmitted in plain text, and the email messages came back as plain text as well.

Now many servers encourage the use of SSL connections, which encrypts the data in both directions. Mail is trying to warn you that the SSL connection cannot be established, and therefore your data could be intercepted in transmission.

AOL's website ( http://about.aol.com/faq/openmailaccess) states that they do not support SSL connections, therefore your only method of accessing your email is to use an unsecure connection.

Alternatively you could go to AOL.com (not use Mail.app) and read your email here as this will establish a secure HTTPS connection.

The best solution though is to stop using AOL and get either a MobileMe or a gmail account.

Regards,
-Ryan
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User profile for user: ryan42
ryan42
User level: Level 3
859 points

Sep 8, 2010 8:17 PM in response to KitKatty

For years and years most email servers accepted connections that were insecure, meaning that passwords were transmitted in plain text, and the email messages came back as plain text as well.

Now many servers encourage the use of SSL connections, which encrypts the data in both directions. Mail is trying to warn you that the SSL connection cannot be established, and therefore your data could be intercepted in transmission.

AOL's website ( http://about.aol.com/faq/openmailaccess) states that they do not support SSL connections, therefore your only method of accessing your email is to use an unsecure connection.

Alternatively you could go to AOL.com (not use Mail.app) and read your email here as this will establish a secure HTTPS connection.

The best solution though is to stop using AOL and get either a MobileMe or a gmail account.

Regards,
-Ryan
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User profile for user: ryan42
ryan42
User level: Level 3
859 points

Sep 8, 2010 9:32 PM in response to KitKatty

Someone would have to actively try to intercept the communications. I have no idea how hard this would be to do on Internet but I know it's possible. It's extremely easy to do on a local network.

It's up to you if you deem your email password and email communications important enough to conduct over an unsecure path. I personally would NOT do this over a non-SSL connection, but it is a personal choice of sorts.
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"Mail cannot send your password securely to the server."??

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