Microsoft has publicised its proposal to disable Excel 4.0 macros or XLM macros for all Microsoft 365 users in the latest email sent out to its clients.
Excel 4.0 which was first presented back in 1992, Excel macros permit users of the firm’s spreadsheet software to enter multifaceted formulas inside Excel cells accomplished of executing commands both in the program itself and in a Windows computer’s local file system. Though XLM macros were substituted by VBA-based macros when Excel 5.0 was launched, Microsoft has unrelenting supporting this inheritance feature over the years
No doubt macros are suitable for Excel users; they have also been frequently harmed by cybercriminals in their attacks. This is only because once permitted in a malicious document, they can provide a risk performer extra control over a user’s system to install malware or carry out further attacks.
With more people now working from home than ever before from the last year, there was a massive growth in the number of malware worries and cybercriminals harming XLM macros in their attacks. The scenario is now so bad that Microsoft even suffering from adding XLM macro support to Microsoft 365’s Antimalware Scan Interface (AMS) in March of this year in an exertion to assist antivirus software deal with these kinds of serious attacks.
Microsoft to disabled XLM macros by default
Following an appeal from software companies that XLM macros inactivated by default inside its office software, the firm is now confronting the problem head-on.
In a fresh email sent to Microsoft 365 customers, the firm laid out its idea to restrict the feature across three stages according to news of The Record. The feature will be restricted by default for Microsoft 365 insiders beginning at the end of October, those on the recent channel will see it disabled in early November and the Monthly Enterprise Channel (MEC) will have XLM macros immobilised by default in December.
No doubt these efforts may not be sufficient for security investigations however as they are now requesting Microsoft to also deactivate VBA macros by default.
If you also want to XLM macros stopped now, you should check out this support document given by Microsoft which clarifies everything in detail about how you can simply eradicate the feature from Excel.
Also Read: SolarWinds hack may have been more damaging than previously thought
