Microsoft announces new security features to boost Teams defenses

• Microsoft is automatically enabling security features for enterprise users
• The updates include blocking malicious URLs and phishing detection
• Any users who would prefer these disabled can do so in Settings

Microsoft is strengthening its security posture for enterprises, and from January 12 2026, Microsoft Teams will automatically enable critical messaging safety features - aiming to protect users who rely solely on standard safety configurations.

The new administrative update is part of Microsoft’s move towards a ‘secure-by-default’ culture, protecting organizations, reducing the attack surface, and raising the standard across the board.

"We're improving messaging security in Microsoft Teams by enabling key safety protections by default," Microsoft informed administrators in a Microsoft 365 message center update. "This update helps safeguard users from malicious content and provides options to report incorrect detections."