Microsoft Office Backtracks its Security Move to Block Macros! But Why

Microsoft Office backtracks its recent major security move that plans to block Visual Basic for Applications or VBA macros altogether.

It essentially brings bank VBA macros on apps like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Powerpoint, to name a few.

Microsoft Office Backtracks its Security Move to Block Macros

The renowned tech giant behind Windows, Microsoft, has planned to block VBA macros on its Office apps as the feature has started to be exploited by sneaky threat actors, as per the latest news story from The Verge.

But this time around, Microsoft is rolling back its decision to block VBA macros from its various Office apps like the spreadsheets platform, Excel.

According to a recent report from the online site, Review Geek, Microsoft initially announced early this year or way back in February of 2022 that it has finally come to the decision to block all VBA macros on its office apps by default.

The move of Microsoft to completely block VBA macros on apps like Word and Powerpoint was supposed to roll out by June this year.

But Microsoft reportedly ditches the plan to do so, backtracking its scheduled release date by mid-2022.

However, it is worth noting that Microsoft went ahead with its VBA block, at least as a test in its "Currents Channel" in April of 2022.

Why Did Microsoft Roll Back its Office Security Action

However, Microsoft now formally rolls back its plan to fully release it to its various Office apps. And here's the reason behind it.

The renowned Redmond-based tech giant says they are no longer proceeding with blocking VBA macros on Microsoft Office due to the feedback of its users in the past few months that the major security change was being tested.

The makers of Microsoft Office told the users of Microsoft 365 that "we appreciate the feedback we've received so far, and we're working to make improvements in this experience."

However, The Verge notes in its news story that Microsoft failed to give explicit details if it still plans to block VBA macros in the near future or if it has found a new means to address the cybersecurity problem.

Meanwhile, the principal group product manager of Microsoft 365, Angela Robertson, told The Verge that the rollback of the VBA macros blocking has already started.

Roberston revealed that "an update about the rollback is in progress."

The Microsoft 365 principal group product manager further apologized for the convenience that the move to rollback might have caused its users.

"I apologize for any inconvenience of the rollback starting before the update about the change was made available," Robertson apologetically adds.

On top of that, the program manager of Microsoft, Wenjun Gong, states that the tech giant would "provide another update when we're ready to release again."

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Teejay Boris