Microsoft Teams' new chat feature raises security risks of phishing and malware attacks.
Microsoft’s upcoming Teams update, slated for early November 2025, will enable users to initiate chats via just an email address, raising significant security concerns. Experts warn that this feature could facilitate phishing scams and malware attacks, as it allows external email interactions without prior validation, creating a broader attack vector for cybercriminals. Employees may inadvertently expose sensitive information to impostors, leading to potential intellectual property theft and compliance violations. As organizations adapt to this change, it is crucial to implement stringent security measures, such as disabling the feature through PowerShell and reinforcing multi-factor authentication, to mitigate these risks and ensure robust defense against evolving cyber threats in collaborative environments.
