Windows Live Mail is a big security risk

Using WLM is a big security risk for personal information, worms & viruses, and possible intrusion to your PC.

Please explain your justification for making this remark. In what way is Windows Live Mail a bigger risk than, say, Office Outlook or the Windows 10 Mail app? Or webmail, for that matter? Can you point to evidence showing that personal information has been put at risk by the program (and not by user action or account failings)? That the program causes the host computer to be at greater risk from worms and/or viruses than another mail client would, assuming the same level of malware protection? Or that a PC has suffered intrusion through this program? How do you suppose that that might happen?

Unless you can substantiate your statement, I'm bound to regard it as simple scaremongering - in which case I'd like to hear your reasons for it.

Using WLM is a big security risk for personal information, worms & viruses, and possible intrusion to your PC.

Please explain your justification for making this remark. In what way is Windows Live Mail a bigger risk than, say, Office Outlook or the Windows 10 Mail app? Or webmail, for that matter? Can you point to evidence showing that personal information has been put at risk by the program (and not by user action or account failings)? That the program causes the host computer to be at greater risk from worms and/or viruses than another mail client would, assuming the same level of malware protection? Or that a PC has suffered intrusion through this program? How do you suppose that that might happen?

Unless you can substantiate your statement, I'm bound to regard it as simple scaremongering - in which case I'd like to hear your reasons for it.

Well, as I was informed from Microsoft and through my TechNet membership emails on topics almost 3 years ago, and one online conference I attended, Microsoft stopped support for Windows Live Mail. I even at the time just before upgrading to 10, had to start using Outlook online as WLM would no longer send or receive emails. Now I think you can switch the type of service to POP I think it was to use it as people are still using it, but Microsoft stated that it would not work for their new system which is obviously all the 10 features and technology for all devices over all platforms and WLM was not capable of it the way it was and for compatibility.. There are no more security updates as I understood for WLM, So I would assume and from what I remember reading from Microsoft at the time, that no security update for it, and that would make it less secure and vulnerable in the future. Like any program or system with no more support, eventually someone will find the weaknesses for intrusion.

I do understand we all are at risk with any emails and any client or app we use to access and open them. And obviously any email can get you no matter what if opened.

But WLM 2012 is the last one right?  with last updated support or security for it about 2 1/2 years ago right? and it is now 8 years old right?

If they can find a way to get into your system like WannaCry and a few others recently and in the past, then they can find a way using an outdated app like WLM with no security support to get you that way.

If you would like, I can delete the post. I loved WLM, but I stopped using is as I upgraded to 10 and have no problem using W10 Mail or web for outlook email service.

... I was informed ... almost 3 years ago ... Microsoft stopped support for Windows Live Mail.  

Perhaps you're referring to the disinformation campaign mounted before the last few hundreds of thousands of accounts were migrated from outlook.com to Outlook Mail. You may be interested to read what I had to say about this campaign then: Migration of Outlook.​com accounts to Outlook Mail 

The MS propaganda machine then announced that support would end on 17 January last year. There wasn't then and hasn't been since any explanation of what this entails; the fact is that there was no change at all.

There are no more security updates ... 

Yes, that is the usual explanation of what stopping support means. However, since Windows Live Mail was first released in 2006 (that's getting on for twelve years ago), there has never to my knowledge been a single security update. This being the case, I don't think users will miss them ...

... eventually someone will find the weaknesses for intrusion. 

Why would anyone look? There was a security update a few years ago for Windows Live Writer, to plug a vulnerability that hadn't ever been exploited, as far as I can remember. Writer is designed to interact with websites, and so is open to the sort of attacks that interaction can facilitate. Windows Live Mail is (among other things) a simple mail client using protocols tried and tested over decades. 

I ... had to start using Outlook online as WLM would no longer send or receive emails. 

This was almost certainly because you were trying to use the DeltaSync protocol that the Outlook Mail servers aren't provisioned for. There was no change in the program; you simply had to use different account settings. Again, you might be interested in the article I wrote about this in June 2015 (before Windows 10 was released, you will note):  Windows Live Mail and Outlook Mail

You haven't explained why Windows Live Mail poses a bigger security risk for personal information or a bigger risk of malware infection than other mail clients available to Windows users. These things are secured by mechanisms external to the program - by Windows and third-party software, and by safeguards built-in to the communications protocols in use. Much of the 'personal information' stored in your webmail account is protected solely by a single password, and we all know what that means.

I would like you please to admit that you have no basis for the statement I quoted in my earlier reply to you.

... I was informed ... almost 3 years ago ... Microsoft stopped support for Windows Live Mail.  

Perhaps you're referring to the disinformation campaign mounted before the last few hundreds of thousands of accounts were migrated from outlook.com to Outlook Mail. You may be interested to read what I had to say about this campaign then: Migration of Outlook.​com accounts to Outlook Mail 

The MS propaganda machine then announced that support would end on 17 January last year. There wasn't then and hasn't been since any explanation of what this entails; the fact is that there was no change at all.

There are no more security updates ... 

Yes, that is the usual explanation of what stopping support means. However, since Windows Live Mail was first released in 2006 (that's getting on for twelve years ago), there has never to my knowledge been a single security update. This being the case, I don't think users will miss them ...

... eventually someone will find the weaknesses for intrusion. 

Why would anyone look? There was a security update a few years ago for Windows Live Writer, to plug a vulnerability that hadn't ever been exploited, as far as I can remember. Writer is designed to interact with websites, and so is open to the sort of attacks that interaction can facilitate. Windows Live Mail is (among other things) a simple mail client using protocols tried and tested over decades. 

I ... had to start using Outlook online as WLM would no longer send or receive emails. 

This was almost certainly because you were trying to use the DeltaSync protocol that the Outlook Mail servers aren't provisioned for. There was no change in the program; you simply had to use different account settings. Again, you might be interested in the article I wrote about this in June 2015 (before Windows 10 was released, you will note):  Windows Live Mail and Outlook Mail

You haven't explained why Windows Live Mail poses a bigger security risk for personal information or a bigger risk of malware infection than other mail clients available to Windows users. These things are secured by mechanisms external to the program - by Windows and third-party software, and by safeguards built-in to the communications protocols in use. Much of the 'personal information' stored in your webmail account is protected solely by a single password, and we all know what that means.

I would like you please to admit that you have no basis for the statement I quoted in my earlier reply to you.

OKEY DOKEY. There were upgrades of WLM though from 2006 to 2012, which possibly had new security built into each newer version along with upgraded features and fixes. I already pleased you by switching it to MY OPINION.

Admit what buddy, That it can't be more of a risk then a current program.

Well hell, all the security updates over 20 years to stop a person for doing this or that and compromising your system or personal info and look at all the people and corporations in the world that have been hacked in about every possible way using current secure programs.

Maybe you should go look at about 40% of posts on this site from people that are way out of line posting comical nonsense BS to people needing help and go harass them.

Have a good day!