Microsoft is rolling again a deliberate change to dam Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macros by default in quite a lot of Office apps. Announced earlier this yr, Microsoft had been planning to forestall Office customers from simply enabling sure content material in recordsdata downloaded from the web that embody macros, in a transfer to enhance safety in opposition to malicious recordsdata. Microsoft had been testing this variation forward of a deliberate rollout to all Microsoft 365 customers in June, however all of a sudden reverted the block on June thirtieth.

BleepingComputer reports that Microsoft notified IT admins final week that it was rolling again the VBA macro block primarily based on suggestions from Office customers testing the modifications. “We appreciate the feedback we’ve received so far, and we’re working to make improvements in this experience,” reads a Microsoft 365 message.

Image: Microsoft

The uncommon rollback has shocked some Microsoft 365 customers, as many had been ready years for Microsoft to be extra aggressive about blocking macros from Office recordsdata. Hackers have been repeatedly focusing on Office paperwork with malicious macros, and Office has usually prompted customers to click on to allow macros operating with a easy button. Microsoft’s deliberate modifications meant Office customers would solely be capable of allow the macros by particularly ticking an unblock possibility on the properties of a file.

Those additional steps clearly haven’t been properly acquired by some customers. “Another terrible update idea from Microsoft,” remarked one commenter on Microsoft’s unique announcement, and others criticized how tough it was for finish customers to allow macros. Others are shocked Microsoft is rolling again the modifications with out successfully speaking to IT admins that the corporate is remodeling the VBA macro block. Many IT admins had been getting ready customers for the macro modifications, because it’s a shift that might require person coaching.

Microsoft hasn’t defined what enhancements it’s now planning to make to the VBA macros block, or when it would roll out as soon as once more. “Based on feedback received, a rollback has started,” says Angela Robertson, a principal group product supervisor for Microsoft 365. “An update about the rollback is in progress. I apologize for any inconvenience of the rollback starting before the update about the change was made available.”