Email on devices blocked

[Treborth]

I thought I had made the correct changes back in September for the encryption settings. Then I lost email access from my Apple devices and my PCs on Friday 17th. As far as I can see the only discrepancy was the use of the word "imap" instead of "mail" on a couple of devices. I was confused by the page on the Talktalk website which uses the word "imap" for windows 11 devices. I assumed that mail/imap were interchangeable even though I don't have windows 11. I have looked and looked and cannot see anything else wrong. 

[Gondola]

Excellent news.

I have confidence in you and will be here if you need any help.

[Treborth]

Hi Ady,

My Ipad email is now working.

I'll try the other devices slowly when I can pluck up the confidence.

Thank you and Gondola for your support.

[Ady-TalkTalk]

Hi Treborth, I've sent a chaser to try and speed things up for you. The official lead time for this is 48 hours so it should already have been done. 

Ady

[Treborth]

My apologies. I just looked back and realised I should have put information on my profile. 

[Treborth]

Should I have waited a few more days before trying to add the new passwords? How long should I wait?

[Treborth]

The email still does not work

I put the password into the ipad and the outgoing server is verified but the incoming was a problem. 

[Ady-TalkTalk]

You're very welcome.

Ady

[Treborth]

Thank you for responding. 

I'll add my new password when I pluck up the courage. I am nervous because I cannot understand why the block happened. The only error was the imap/mail substitution. The ports were correct, the boxes ticked and the SSL green.

Thanks again for your help.

[Ady-TalkTalk]

Hi Treborth, I've added your mailbox to the list of those to be returned to normal function.

Ady

[Gondola]

No worries, I'm here to guide as best I can.

I've already pushed a request into the TalkTalk workflow to request that full access is restored to your mailbox. That'll happen next week and ahead of that TalkTalk Support will respond right here.

[Treborth]

Thanks for your help, Gondola

I have now changed my password and tested that I can log in to webmail.

How will I know that it is safe to start using my devices again?

Sorry to be a pain. I find things I cannot understand stressful.

[Gondola]

A compromised email password would enable unauthorised access. You may not know if your mail messages were being passively monitored.

All I'm saying is that the TalkTalk logs have detected an insecure connection to the mailbox. If you've not been able to identify which mail collection service / device / email software is making that connection then the way to lock out any unauthorised or unwanted connected device is to change the password.

You only need to log into the mailbox via webmail if you need to check and perhaps update the Reset details before changing the password that can be done at any time.

Select here:  Sign in to TalkTalk Mail

Enter your email address and your email password, select Sign in.

Update your reset details is an option on the main settings menu (triple line icon on the top right header of a desktop browser or cog icon on a mobile browser).

Check, update and Save the Reset details if needed, then use the Reset password now button in the help page  Changing your email password.

My recommendation is to exceed the minimum required and use a password of 12-15 multicase letters and numbers and a symbol. Created from multiple words gives an opportunity to memorise the password that, for security, needs to be unique to the mailbox. The Internet browser that you use for TalkTalk Mail may also offer to generate a secure password and can save the login for you.

Use the new password to sign in to webmail. Then when TalkTalk restore IMAP access to the devices (but not before) you'll be able to update the password on the selected email software that you can double-check is using secure setting as recommended by TalkTalk. 

[Treborth]

I don't understand how any other email client can access my email account without me knowing. No other person has access to my emails.

You suggest I change the password. I can do that by logging in to the account I assume. Should I do this before the reset?

Thanks for helping

[Gondola]

On the basics, all appears good.

Windows Mail on Windows 10 with all boxes ticked in the Sync Options and port numbers 993 incoming and 587 outgoing are all perfect.

Equally, iOS 16 mail apps again look to be good using secure settings.

You mention 4 active devices?

If there's any possibility of a rogue email account on other software or someone else's device then the troubleshooting is to change the email password and update that only for the devices / mail collection that you have control over.

The Reset password now button in the help article  Changing your email password will take you to password reset and recovery. 

If you have set up password recovery options, in advance, that you recognise from the *****hints, then you can send your alternate email address a link or your mobile a 6-digit code to authorise a password reset.

NB the password will not get authenticated until TalkTalk restore IMAP access for you. I'll request that today and you'll get a response from TalkTalk Support right here next week.

Prepare for TalkTalk Support - include in the Community Profile (not in these public posts):

 Account holder name, TalkTalk home 'phone number (if not Data Only broadband)

 Alternative mobile contact number. Full address with postcode (in the Location box)

 Scroll down to Private notes to add the email address and customer account number

 Check and Save changes

Select here:  Update your profile

[Treborth]

Hi Gondola,

I am using windows 10 updated this month, and Ipad and Iphone both version 16 with only the most recent minor update pending.

windows mail app

apple mail app

the servers are 993 and 587

all the boxes ticked for windows mail

use SSL green for Apple mail

These are the only 4 devices I am using currently. I cannot think of any other devices with email access. My old tablet was last used in September to check the email settings.

This is driving me nuts as I thought I had sorted this out last year.

Thanks for responding. 

[Gondola]

So, you received the message from TalkTalk advising "Our records show that you are still accessing your email using unencrypted email settings, because of this, from 17th February you will no longer be able to receive or send emails via this email app or software".

This means that in the last two weeks some connection or another was made to your mailbox using insecure settings.

Don't worry about the incoming server host name being imap.talktalk.net instead of mail.talktalk.net as both are valid host names on the server certificate.

What you do need to worry about is that either the other settings are using the insecure ports 110 or 143 or 25 or that you haven't identified all the devices that connect to your mailbox or on which inherently insecure mail software is in use. For example, the PC may be Windows but if it's using Outlook 2010 as part of the Office 2010 Suite then that may not provide secure encryption to the minimum required TLS 1.2 protocol. Equally, a MAC that's got an OS prior to MacOS 10.12 Sierra will not provide secure encryption to the minimum required TLS 1.2 protocol. 

So, we need to help you identify what's wrong. Starting with a list of the mail collection services, PC's, other devices, operating systems, email software and software version.