Microsoft will block mail from End-of-Life Exchange servers.

Does your business run a legacy mail server? Are you still running Microsoft’s “Small Business Server” or “Windows Server Essentials”, or do you have an older version of “Exchange” server?

In case you missed it Microsoft has announced that it will soon start blocking emails from End of Life Exchange servers.

To protect Exchange Online from old and unpatched on-premises Exchange servers, Microsoft will first throttle and then reject inbound messages. The decision follows the widespread Hafnium attack in March 2021, which exposed the vulnerability of on-premises servers.

Exchange 2007, Exchange 2010, and Exchange 2013 are among the obsolete and vulnerable versions of Exchange Server. The move is to encourage businesses to move to Exchange Online and Microsoft 365, or to ensure that their on-premises Exchange server is up-to-date with the latest security and cumulative updates.

Microsoft will check the SMTP headers of inbound messages arriving through inbound connectors configured with the ConnectorType set to be OnPremises and block those that fail to meet the latest software update requirements.

Does all of that sound confusing? - HostedTech, can help you understand these changes and ensure your mail services remain operational.