New Security Features to Be Available for Microsoft 365 Email and Gmail Jan. 12

On Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022, UMass Amherst Information Technology (IT) will introduce new security features for accessing university email services (Microsoft 365 and Gmail) and decommission legacy authentication methods (how users log in).

Part of UMass Amherst’s strategic information security roadmap, these updates are necessary to strengthen the campus infrastructure and protect personal and university data against cyber-security threats. They are aligned with plans from Google, Microsoft, and other major vendors to require more secure protocols that support two-step login.

Impact on the Campus Community

Starting Jan. 12, 2022, faculty, staff and students can access their university email only via applications that support modern authentication.

Most members of the campus community will not notice any impact related to these changes. Most devices, as well as current versions of mobile applications, are already configured to use modern authentication protocols.

In some cases, you may need to delete and re-add your email account profile to connect to your university email. UMass Amherst IT recommends:

Microsoft email users: Use the latest version of Outlook on desktop and mobile devices (recommended over the mail app on your mobile device) or Outlook on the Web.

Gmail email users: Use the Gmail app on mobile devices and Gmail web interface on desktop.

For questions and support, contact the IT professional in your area or IT User Services at it@umass.edu or 413-545-9400.