Microsoft is set to improve the security of Hotmail with full-session SSL encryption and a number of other enhancements. The improved webmail service will support full session SSL encryption, which protects email as it travels between a user's browser and Hotmail servers, Microsoft announced this week. Previously, SSL encryption was only available for accounts during login.

This is welcome as it means that everyone else is going to have to fall in line.  Keep in mind that it's a good idea to remain skeptical about how secure any particular instance of encryption is, though ...