Exchange Online Mistakenly Marks Legitimate Emails as Spam: Solutions Here
Users of Microsoft’s Exchange Online have recently faced a frustrating issue where legitimate emails are mistakenly marked as spam. This problem, acknowledged by Microsoft, began on February 5 and has affected users’ ability to send and receive messages.
Understanding the Issue with Exchange Online
The core of the problem lies in a new URL rule implemented by Microsoft. This rule inaccurately categorizes certain legitimate URLs as phishing attempts. Consequently, email messages containing these URLs have been quarantined.
Microsoft’s Response
In a service alert, Microsoft confirmed the issue. They indicated that the criteria for identifying suspicious emails have become increasingly sophisticated. However, this advance has led to false positives, where safe emails are incorrectly flagged as threats.
- Problem start date: February 5
- Potential for legitimate emails to be quarantined as spam
- Progress has been made in resolving the issue
What Affected Users Can Do
For those impacted by this glitch, it is advisable to check the Quarantine page of Microsoft Defender. Users need to sign in with their work or school accounts. If legitimate emails are found, they can easily be released from quarantine.
Steps to Recover Quarantined Emails
- Visit the Microsoft Defender Quarantine page.
- Sign in with your credentials.
- Review the quarantined emails.
- Select any legitimate emails and click the Release button.
The Bigger Picture: Escalating Threats
This situation underscores the growing complexity of email threats today. Spammers are adapting, making it tougher for detection systems to distinguish between harmful and harmless messages. Microsoft’s adjustments aimed to combat these threats may have inadvertently caused this significant inconvenience.
As Microsoft continues to address the situation, users are advised to remain vigilant and proactive in managing their email services effectively.
