New technical note shows you how to update security settings for your email applications.

You can use many Opto 22 products to send email notifications to keep engineers and technicians aware of important conditions in your system. For example:

• You can send email through a PAC Control strategy running on a groov EPIC or SNAP PAC controller.
• Your groov View HMI can send event notifications via email.
• Your Node-RED flow on groov RIO or groov EPIC can send email.

But you must make changes now to keep receiving emails!

Generate a new app password

IMPORTANT: Due to security changes, you will stop receiving emails from your Opto 22 devices unless you configure your email account with a new application-specific password. You'll find all the info you need to update in our new technical note. 

You'll also want to read Ben Orchard's blog post on making these email security updates before the Gmail deadline on May 30, 2022.

Without the new app password, email providers like Gmail will consider your Opto 22 device a “less secure app” and not allow it to log into the email account. Depending on how you have your email set up (for example, whether you have a recovery email), you may not even know emails have stopped. To avoid missing important reports and alerts, make sure you configure the email account following the instructions in the technical note.

Update instructions for configuring Gmail and Yahoo accounts are included in the tech note. If you use a different email provider, consult them for instructions. Using steps similar to the ones in the tech note, you can also update access for other services used with your Opto 22 products.

Avoid email or service failure

In addition to app passwords for better security, security certificates also play a role in making sure that email is delivered and other services continue. All providers of email or other services update their security certificates from time to time. When that happens, your email or other service will stop working until you either install a new certificate or update firmware that contains the new certificate.

Opto 22 updates certificates in firmware as soon as we know about new ones. If you see a security error (for example, -2104 in PAC Control) or have some other indication of a certificate issue, be sure to check for new firmware on the Opto 22 website.  If you cannot update firmware or don't find what you need on our website, please contact Product Support for help.

Email and other services are useful with your Opto 22 products. Make sure you keep them working by setting up error handling procedures and other ways to be aware of communication failures.