Microsoft is changing the way logins work: here’s what that means for you

Microsoft has (very quietly) announced that it will be changing the way account sign-ins work in February – and the new system could pose a significant security risk for some users.

Squirreled away in the Microsoft Account Help page of the Support section on Microsoft’s website, the change essentially states that users will remain logged in by default any time they sign in via a browser or app on any device – meaning that if you sign into your Microsoft account to check your emails in Outlook or access your OneDrive on a public computer (or, say, a friend or colleague’s device) you'll no longer be automatically signed out afterwards, even if you close the browser entirely.

In other words, your emails, cloud files, and even your search and browsing history will remain accessible to anyone who uses that device, potentially leaving your personal data ...