Macros allow you to automate tasks in Office documents, but unfortunately, they are also one of the main entry points for malware.
That’s because it’s incredibly easy to send someone an Office file (.docx, .xlsx, etc.) equipped with a macro that executes malicious code such as ransomware.
To mitigate the issue, Microsoft was announced at that will disable macros in all Office files received over the Internet.
Microsoft, in a security report from the end of last yearpoint out that “all critical infrastructure sectors such as healthcare and public health, information technology (IT), financial services and energy sectors” fall victim to these attacks despite attempts to educate the public about cybersecurity.
In the case of macros in files obtained from the Internet, users will no longer be able to enable content by pressing a button.
A button will appear in the message bar that must be pressed to get more information. The default option is more secure and is expected to keep more users safe, including home users and workers.
This change will also affect legitimate uses of macros. Any automation you set up on your system will run normally, but if a coworker emails you a spreadsheet with a macro, you’ll need to right-click the file and enable the VBA macros functionality in the Properties tab. .
The company will begin testing this change with version 2203 in early April.
