Microsoft is refreshing security controls for its Outlook mail client on mobile today.
The new authentication stack verifies an Outlook user’s identity through an Office 365 login on both iOS and Android. Users who sign in through Office 365 will receive a token for accessing Outlook. The new authentication experience utilizes OAuth, a standard authorization protocol. Outlook already uses OAuth for several sites, including Outlook.com, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, and Gmail.
With the new authentication stack, IT administrators can also add multifactor authentication, and it will generally allow admins to have more control over mobile devices connected to a company’s network.
Microsoft’s updated security controls are part of a trend among software providers to develop better authentication protocols. Many platforms are moving beyond name and password models by requiring multiple levels of authentication (for instance, a PIN delivered to an external identifying source like a mobile phone).
As the number of security breaches into large and small companies keep mounting, there is increased pressure on software providers to ensure tighter controls. Of topmost concern are bring-your-own-device environments, where employees use their personal mobile phone and tablets to access a company network.
