'MD5 Challenge Response' or 'Password'?

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Level 1

12 points

'MD5 Challenge Response' or 'Password'?

When I set up my email account a few weeks ago in MacMail, the default in 'Authentication' on the advanced tab was MD5 Challenge-Response for an IMAP set up, but for some reason, tonight, the password box wouldn't stop coming up when I tried to receive mail and wouldn't download new mail. Don't have a clue what the other ones mean either, Kerberos, NTLM.

After fiddling about with it, I changed the setting to 'Password' and it seems to have sorted it.

Does anyone know the difference between them, and more importantly why the MD5 was working for a few weeks since I've had this, and now it's obviously caused this password box problem? Server says nothings changed, but......?

Thanks guys

MacBook Pro

Posted on Jun 10, 2011 6:46 PM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,841 points

Jun 10, 2011 7:15 PM in response to the tall

Password authentication is simply sending your clear-text password to the server. It's very insecure unless the connection is encrypted with SSL. MD5 challenge-response avoids sending the password in the clear, and should always be used over an insecure connection.

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Answer 2

the tall Author

Level 1

12 points

Jun 11, 2011 4:58 AM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks, but MD5 doesn't now work though..., I'm sure that's the reason for the password box coming up repeatedly because when I changed it, it stopped happening

Just got this email back from my server........When was that platform change then, last night?? It's only just stopped working.

MD5 Challenge-Response is the default setting for Mac. There was a platform change and as per advised for mac mail setup, you should set is a Password for the authentication. However the issue has been resolved and in the future for setting up email, the authentication should now be Password.

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