javax.mail.AuthenticationFailedException: failed t

Question

This program attempts to send e-mail but throws a run time exception:

javax.mail.AuthenticationFailedException: failed to connect, no password specified?

Why am I getting this exception when I have supplied the correct username and password for authentication?

Both the sender and receiver have g-mail accounts. The sender and the receiver both have g-mail accounts. The sender has 2-step verification process disabled.

This is the code:

import javax.mail.*;
import javax.mail.internet.*;
import java.util.*;

class tester {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        Properties props = new Properties();
        props.put("mail.smtp.host" , "smtp.gmail.com");
        props.put("mail.stmp.user" , "username");

        //To use TLS
        props.put("mail.smtp.auth", "true"); 
        props.put("mail.smtp.starttls.enable", "true");
        props.put("mail.smtp.password", "password");
        //To use SSL
        props.put("mail.smtp.socketFactory.port", "465");
        props.put("mail.smtp.socketFactory.class", 
            "javax.net.ssl.SSLSocketFactory");
        props.put("mail.smtp.auth", "true");
        props.put("mail.smtp.port", "465");


        Session session  = Session.getDefaultInstance( props , null);
        String to = "[e-mail]";
        String from = "[e-mail]";
        String subject = "Testing...";
        Message msg = new MimeMessage(session);
        try {
            msg.setFrom(new InternetAddress(from));
            msg.setRecipient(Message.RecipientType.TO, 
                new InternetAddress(to));
            msg.setSubject(subject);
            msg.setText("Working fine..!");
            Transport transport = session.getTransport("smtp");
            transport.connect("smtp.gmail.com" , 465 , "username", "password");
            transport.send(msg);
            System.out.println("fine!!");
        }
        catch(Exception exc) {
            System.out.println(exc);
        }
    }
}

Even after giving the password I get the exception. Why is it not authenticating?

Answer 1

Turn On "Access for less secure apps" in Security setting for the gmail account.(from mail), see the below link for references

http://www.ghacks.net/2014/07/21/gmail-starts-block-less-secure-apps-enable-access/

Answer 2

This error may be about password characters. If your password contains special characters and also you add your password into Transport class methods;

For Example

Transport transport = session.getTransport("smtp");
transport.connect("user","passw@rd");

or

Transport.send(msg, "user", "passw%rd");

you may get that error. Because Transport class' methods may not handle special characters. If you add your username and password into your message using javax.mail.PasswordAuthentication class, i hope you will escape that error;

For Example

...
Session session = Session.getInstance(props, new javax.mail.Authenticator()
{
  protected PasswordAuthentication getPasswordAuthentication()
  {
    return new PasswordAuthentication("user", "pas$w@r|d");
  }
});

Message message = new MimeMessage(session);
...
Transport.send(message);

Answer 3

I've solved this issue adding user and password in Transport.send call:

Transport.send(msg, "user", "password");

---

According to this signature of the send function in javax.mail (from version 1.5):

public static void send(Message msg, String user, String password)

Also, if you use this signature it's not necessary to set up any Authenticator, and to set user and password in the Properties (only the host is needed). So your code could be:

private void sendMail(){
  try{
      Properties prop = System.getProperties();
      prop.put("mail.smtp.host", "yourHost");
      Session session = Session.getInstance(prop);
      Message msg = #createYourMsg(session, from, to, subject, mailer, yatta yatta...)#;
      Transport.send(msg, "user", "password");
  }catch(Exception exc) {
      // Deal with it! :)
  }
}

Answer 4

I also have this problem so don't worry. It comes from mail server side due to an outside authentication issue. Open your mail and you will get a mail from the mail server telling you to enable accessibility. When you have done that, retry your program.

Answer 5

Your email session should be provided an authenticator instance as below

Session session = Session.getDefaultInstance(props,
    new Authenticator() {
        protected PasswordAuthentication  getPasswordAuthentication() {
        return new PasswordAuthentication(
                    "[e-mail]", "password");
                }
    });

a complete example is here http://bharatonjava.wordpress.com/2012/08/27/sending-email-using-java-mail-api/

Answer 6

import java.util.Properties;

import javax.mail.Authenticator;
import javax.mail.Message;
import javax.mail.MessagingException;
import javax.mail.PasswordAuthentication;
import javax.mail.Session;
import javax.mail.Transport;
import javax.mail.internet.InternetAddress;
import javax.mail.internet.MimeMessage;

import com.opensymphony.xwork2.ActionSupport;
import com.opensymphony.xwork2.ModelDriven;

@SuppressWarnings("serial")
public class RegisterAction {


    public String execute() {


         RegisterAction mailBean = new RegisterAction();

           String subject="Your username & password ";

           String message="Hi," + username;
          message+="\n \n Your username is " + email;
          message+="\n \n Your password is " + password;
          message+="\n \n Please login to the web site with your username and password.";
          message+="\n \n Thanks";
          message+="\n \n \n Regards";

           //Getting  FROM_MAIL

           String[] recipients = new String[1];
            recipients[0] = new String();
            recipients[0] = customer.getEmail();

           try{
          mailBean.sendMail(recipients,subject,message);

          return "success";
          }catch(Exception e){
           System.out.println("Error in sending mail:"+e);
          }

        return "failure";
    }

    public void sendMail( String recipients[ ], String subject, String message)
             throws MessagingException
              {
                boolean debug = false;

                 //Set the host smtp address

                 Properties props = new Properties();
                 props.put("mail.smtp.host", "smtp.gmail.com");
                 props.put("mail.smtp.starttls.enable", true);
                 props.put("mail.smtp.auth", true);

                // create some properties and get the default Session

                Session session = Session.getDefaultInstance(props, new Authenticator() {

                    protected PasswordAuthentication getPasswordAuthentication() {
                        return new PasswordAuthentication(
                                "[e-mail]", "5373273437543");// Specify the Username and the PassWord
                    }

                });
                session.setDebug(debug);


                // create a message
                Message msg = new MimeMessage(session);


                InternetAddress[] addressTo = new InternetAddress[recipients.length];
                for (int i = 0; i < recipients.length; i++)
                {
                  addressTo[i] = new InternetAddress(recipients[i]);
                }

                msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.TO, addressTo);

                // Optional : You can also set your custom headers  in the Email if you Want
                //msg.addHeader("MyHeaderName", "myHeaderValue");

                // Setting the Subject and Content Type
                msg.setSubject(subject);
                msg.setContent(message, "text/plain");

                //send message
                Transport.send(msg);

                System.out.println("Message Sent Successfully");
              }

}