[RTC List] New POP sudden changes to AT&T mail

[Dwight Winegar]

The following item was just received in the past few days, and did not  
realize this affected us too, until I tried to use my dot Mac and  
Humboldt 1 e-mail with "sbcglobal" as our ISP.   [The following  
information is considered a CONFIDENTIAL sharing to this membership  
tech list, and not to be forwarded verbatim, but may be shared if  
paraphrased and reworded specific to the AT&T Yahoo references  
mentioned herein.]

- Dwight

> ----------
>
> 3/28/08 Response From AT&T Yahoo to Local Reporter and Forwarded to Me
>
> I looked into the customer inquiry you forwarded to me. Here’s what  
> I have.
>
> Yahoo! proactively issued a security update this month to AT&T  
> Yahoo! customers to help guard against having their email addresses  
> used by unauthorized parties. The feature is another layer of  
> authentication security for email users. We’re very serious about  
> protecting Mail users, and security is a top priority.
>
> The software update affects only users that send email from an  
> external client with a "FROM" email that is not associated with  
> their AT&T Yahoo! email account.  The user needs to go through a  
> simple process whereby they verify that they are in fact that user  
> that is sending the mail. They only need to go through this process  
> one time, and it takes no more than a few minutes.
>
> The net impact of this security update -- and users going through  
> this process -- is that we’ll minimize the threats of "spoofing" for  
> our customers.
>
> AT&T Yahoo! Mail is a service for consumers, who typically they have  
> less than 10 emails associated with their account.
>
> I’m wondering if the customer is referring to a small business?  
> Please let the customer know that I’d be happy to connect him/her  
> with someone at AT&T customer care who can answer his/her questions  
> directly.
>
> Do let me know if you have any questions.
>
> Have a wonderful weekend.
>
>
>
> --------------
>
> 3/27/08 Email to NorCal List
>
> Subject: New ATT Yahoo SMTP Email Address Online 'Verification' in  
> Your Area?
> Fellow, NorCal ACNs
>
> Is anyone out there, having the same experience as Phil Geller  
> (WorkingMacs) and I with our and our clients' ATT/Yahoo broadband  
> connections in the Palo Alto area, where outgoing email is stopped  
> (with an error message) on the initial send and the resolution  
> appears to be a new and not publicly announced, on-line,  
> "verification" system for email going out via the ATT / Yahoo smtp  
> servers (smtp.att.yahoo.com)?
>
> Note this issue is not the same as the smtp server authentication,  
> SSL, and port settings implemented by SBC/ATT over the past year; it  
> is a new additional "wrinkle."
>
> There are two ATT documents I have found related to a resolution  
> (see below). They are convoluted and do not directly state the  
> problem, but do resolve it.
> It involves listing non-ATT/Yahoo address online, receiving a  
> confirmation code via email for each one, and then entering the code  
> on-line.
> There is also a stated limit of 10 verification addresses, an  
> additional complication for businesses.
>
> help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/mail/original/manage/sendfrom-07.html
> http://help.yahoo.com/sbc/tutorials/cg/cg_ext_access1.html
>
>
> Kindly pass along information on the extent of this issue in your  
> area.  I have contacted several people at ATT/Yahoo with no clear  
> answers/explanatiion so far; I have also contacted an SF Chronicle  
> reporter today to see if they know more or are interested in the  
> story.
>
> Thank you in advance for any input
>
>
> Fred Balin
> Principal. MacResolutions
> Apple Tested, Apple Certified
>
> fbalin at macresolutions.com
> 650-565-8120
>
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