Overview

Configuration Instructions

Outbound Email Configuration Matrix

Mail Headers

More Information

Email at MIT

SMTP Authentication: Secure Outbound Email at MIT

Overview

This page provides information and instructions on how to configure secure outbound email settings for popular email clients on campus. Information Services and Technology expects that this will become a requirement in the near future. IS&T is therefore encouraging users to configure their email clients for secure SMTP authentication as soon as possible.

IS&T now supports the use of secure SMTP (simple mail transfer protocol) authentication for outgoing email. This practice will help ensure MIT's outgoing mail server, outgoing.mit.edu, is not misused (e.g., by spammers), which could result in some Internet service providers refusing to accept email from MIT.

Configuration Instructions

Configure your outgoing (SMTP) email settings for secure authentication according to the email client you use:

Windows:

Mac OS:

Athena:

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Outbound Email Configuration Matrix

A Configuration Matrix is available as a reference tool to assist advanced users with configuring email client settings for secure outbound email.

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Mail Headers

Email received via secure outbound authentication at MIT will include header lines similar to the following:

Received: from jdoe (JDOE.MIT.EDU [18.XX.X.XXX])
(authenticated bits=0)
(User authenticated as jdoe@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
by melbourne-city-street.mit.edu (8.12.4/8.12.4) with ESMTP id hAQCXfZr004615
(version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=RC4-MD5 bits=128 verify=NOT)
for <jdoe@mit.edu>; Wed, 26 Nov 2003 07:33:41 -0500 (EST)

To display the full headers, follow the instructions in the table below:

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More Information

For more information or help contact:

Web: Computing Help Desk
Email: computing-help@mit.edu
Phone: 617.253.1101

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