Chaperoned email login

A chaperoned email login is a security feature that allows a trusted third-party application or service to assist with the login process for an email account. This can be useful in situations where the user wants to grant access to their email account to a specific application or service, but still wants to maintain control over the login process.

Here's how chaperoned email login typically works:

  1. The user grants permission to the trusted application or service to access their email account.
  2. The application or service is redirected to the email provider's login page, where it is presented with a unique token or code.
  3. The application or service uses the token or code to authenticate with the email provider's API, without actually logging in to the email account.
  4. The email provider's API verifies the token or code and grants the application or service access to the email account, without revealing the user's login credentials.
  5. The application or service can then use the API to read, write, or manage the user's email account, without actually logging in to the account.

Chaperoned email login provides several benefits, including:

  1. Enhanced security: By not storing or transmitting the user's login credentials, the risk of credential theft or compromise is reduced.
  2. Increased control: The user has more control over which applications or services have access to their email account, and can revoke access at any time.
  3. Better compliance: Chaperoned email login can help organizations comply with regulatory requirements, such as GDPR and HIPAA, by providing a secure and transparent way to access email accounts.

Some examples of chaperoned email login include:

  1. OAuth 2.0: A widely-used standard for authorization that allows applications to access user data without revealing their login credentials.
  2. OpenID Connect: A protocol that allows users to authenticate with an identity provider, without revealing their login credentials.
  3. Email client integrations: Many email clients, such as Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird, offer chaperoned login features that allow users to access their email accounts without revealing their login credentials.

Overall, chaperoned email login is a secure and convenient way to grant access to email accounts, while maintaining control over the login process.