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02/18/2025 | Home page | Information on

IT security: blocking of the "Outlook for iOS" and "Outlook for Android" apps

@IT Service Center

Dear colleagues,
Dear users,

The following message affects all users who access their emails on their smartphone via the Outlook for iOS or Outlook for Android app from Microsoft.

Accessing your emails via the webmailer in your browser is not affected.

From 01.07.2025, we will block the use of these apps Outlook for iOS and Outlook for Android for the central mail system of the University of Kassel in coordination with the Chancellor and CIO for the following reasons:

These applications send a large amount of personal data to Microsoft. The apps do not communicate directly with the University of Kassel's mail server like other mail apps, but the emails are first collected by the Microsoft servers from our mail server and only then made available to the user in the app.

For this purpose, the login data for the mailbox is stored at Microsoft. All emails therefore always go via Microsoft. If you use these applications, the following data is passed on to Microsoft:

  • Credentials (account name, password)
  • Emails from the last four weeks
  • All calendar data
  • All contact details
  • the out-of-office status

Source:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/Exchange/clients/outlook-for-ios-and-android/use-basic-auth?view=exchserver-2019

Alternatively, we recommend using the standard mail app on your mobile device. If you require extended functionalities, we recommend the paid mail app 9Folders.
https://www.9folders.com/en/index.html

The period until the final lockdown on 01.07.2025 should allow you to make a good transition. However, for the above reasons, we strongly advise you not to use this period, but to switch to one of the recommended alternatives as soon as possible. We also ask you to change your password if you have been using this app up to now. If you leave the Outlook mail app for other services on your smartphone, please remove the Uni Kassel mail account there.

Thank you for your understanding