The Chinese government has apparently been tightening Internet restrictions as Microsoft Outlook's email traffic in China has been attacked this weekend, The Verge reports.

Like Us on Facebook

Outlook email traffic error reportedly started during Saturday as "an ominous error message" appears once a Microsoft email service user tries to log-in. The error is believed to be made by a middle man who has the access between the client and the server all day.

This type of cyber attack, known as "a man-in-the-middle attack," involves email collection and even alterations as online mail is being transferred from the server to the user. It is also noted that the attack focused on the IMAP and SMTP servers which deliver mails to Outlook.

Because Microsoft Outlook uses HTTP, users were alerted as the attack occurred but many users just ignored the error. Once an Outlook email user clicked continue, he gave up the protection provided by the encryption. 

The recent attack on Chinese Outlook email traffic is believed to be just a "test run" done by the Chinese government to limit private communication through internet. Though no evidence has been seen against officials of China, they are still the main suspect as it is difficult to do the attack without the control of communication structures.

Likewise, Google also reported that their gmail service has been blocked by Chinese government, The Huffington Post reported. This is still believed to be part of Chinese officials' aim of limiting or even banning U.S. internet services with their people.

Google's Transparency Report showed "online traffic from China to Gmail fell precipitously on Friday and dropped to nearly zero on Saturday, although there was a tiny pickup on Monday."

On the other hand, Google Asia Pacific spokesman Taj Meadows cleared that there is no apparent problem in Gmail technically. While a Chinese newspaper somehow confirmed that the government has already cut any possible access to Gmail.

"If the China side indeed blocked Gmail, the decision must have been prompted by newly emerged security reasons," the Chinese Communist Party-run Global Times' editorial said.

TagsMicrosoft Outlook, Microsoft Outlook News, Microsoft Outlook Email traffic, Microsoft Outlook Glitch, Microsoft Outlook China Glitch, Microsoft Outlook Attack, Microsoft Outlook Chinese Attack