Microsoft Teams update will make your life harder, but for good reason

Microsoft is ready to roll out an update for collaboration platform Teams that will add a layer of friction to utilizing third-party app integrations, but for good reason.According to a new entry within the firm’s product roadmap, Microsoft Teams customers will quickly should handle permissions manually for every third-party app they need to use through the net consumer.

“In order to better secure Microsoft Teams third-party applications that request native device permissions - such as camera, microphone or location access - we will be requiring users to manually opt-in for these permissions per app in the Microsoft Teams web browser experience,” wrote Microsoft.This is already the case throughout the Microsoft Teams desktop and cell shoppers, the roadmap entry goes on to elucidate.The new web consumer permissions system continues to be below growth, but ought to take impact for all customers by February subsequent 12 months.

Microsoft Teams apps

Since the beginning of the pandemic, collaboration software program distributors like Microsoft, Zoom and Slack have labored onerous to broaden upon in-built performance (video conferencing, VoIP, messaging, file-sharing and many others.) with third-party integrations.In Microsoft’s case, the corporate is aiming to show Teams right into a central hub for work, by constructing as extensive a variety of performance into the platform as potential, from cloud storage and CRM to undertaking administration, calendering and more.Only final week, Microsoft revealed it's growing a new-look app retailer that ought to make it simpler to determine essentially the most helpful third-party integrations on a per person foundation.As the variety of Teams purposes grows, nevertheless, the chance one is likely to be abused for cybercriminal functions rises too. To nip any potential points within the bud, Microsoft will quickly require customers to manually specify app permissions throughout all Teams shoppers (desktop, cell and now browser).Of course, the measure gained’t cease customers from giving malicious apps entry to their webcam and audio feed, but on the very least it will drive folks to assume twice about which apps they interact with.