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Tech News
Microsoft plans to update Teams' Weaponizable File Protection feature so administrators can customize which file types get blocked in chats and channels, rather than relying solely on Microsoft's default list. The change is listed on the Microsoft 365 roadmap and is expected to roll out starting November 2026 across Android, desktop, iOS, macOS and web.
During the pandemic, tech giants like Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, and Google doubled or nearly doubled their workforces, riding a wave of remote-work demand and a decade of near-zero interest rates that made capital cheap. Many new hires were brought on speculatively, without clear roles, as companies raced to lock in talent and market position.
Microsoft has patched a bug that stopped Teams and the new Outlook for Windows from launching on ARM-based devices like the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7. The issue, triggered by August 2026 security updates (KB5121003), mainly hit new or freshly imaged PCs without Microsoft Store updates. The fix arrived with the September 8 cumulative update, KB5124012.
Microsoft acknowledged a known issue causing delays of up to two minutes or outright failure when opening the Teams desktop client on Windows. Separately, the company is investigating a related problem preventing Mac users from joining Teams calls and meetings, though it has walked back its initial theory that a code change caused the disruption. Microsoft is reviewing logs and telemetry and advises affected users to switch to Teams on the web or mobile app in the meantime.
Microsoft says its August 11, 2026 security update (KB5121003) is causing Teams and New Outlook to fail to launch or crash unexpectedly on ARM-based Windows 11 24H2 devices like the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7. The problem mostly hits new or freshly imaged machines that haven't yet grabbed Microsoft Store updates, while Classic Outlook, Word and Excel remain unaffected.
A threat actor dubbed Spring Ring is running voice-phishing campaigns against Microsoft Teams users, tricking victims into granting remote access to their sessions. Once inside, attackers use that foothold to deploy malware and attempt to seize control of broader organizational infrastructure.
Microsoft confirmed widespread service degradation across its 365 suite, affecting Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, Copilot and Universal Print. Users reported problems sending or receiving emails, loading files, and accessing print jobs, though Microsoft says availability has largely stabilized above 99 percent.
Victims across China report losing between $1,500 and $300,000 after scammers posed as romantic partners or professionals and moved conversations from social platforms onto Microsoft Teams using shared login credentials. Once trust was established, the scammers pitched cryptocurrency investments and disappeared with victims' money, leaving them unable to access chat records for police reports since they never controlled the accounts themselves. Local Chinese law enforcement agencies have begun warning the public that Teams is being used as a fraud tool, and platforms like Maimai now flag messages mentioning Teams or Skype as high-risk.
Microsoft is rolling out a new Teams meeting protection policy letting admins automatically block all identified external bots from joining meetings, without requiring organizer approval. This expands on a June update that flagged bots in the lobby but still let organizers admit them manually. The feature is off by default, deploying via targeted release through August with general availability expected by late September.