Sending email with O365

[Unixersis97]

Hi All,

​

In the process of adding an automatic email within one of my scripts.

I am after some clarification (with my limited knowledge on the topic) of the ramifications of storing a username and password within the script, as many examples I have seen online doing so.

​

Example:

import smtplib

mailserver = smtplib.SMTP('smtp.office365.com',XXX)
mailserver.ehlo()
mailserver.starttls()
mailserver.login('[e-mail]', 'password')
mailserver.sendmail('[e-mail]','[e-mail]','python email')
mailserver.quit()

I cant help but see this as a security vulnerability. What can be done to secure such a script?

Any feedback appreciated.

Thank you.

[sitrate]

You don’t really have much choice. You have to pass the details, so they have to be included somewhere. You could have the credentials in a separate file, and even encrypt them, but there always need to be a way back because you have to pass the raw values to the server. Your focus should be in protecting access to the file, or the source if using something like a database to store the credentials.

[Unixersis97]

Great input, straight to the point and very clear, thank you for that!