Clicking on links is one of the internet’s hazards. You never know where a URL will take you after you access it, even if it looks to be from a reliable source. That is why Microsoft is introducing phishing safeguards in Microsoft Teams, so you do not have to worry about hackers obtaining your personal information through phishing links and websites.
Microsoft claims this latest Teams feature is all about ensuring Teams is “the most secure real-time collaboration platform,” with remote and hybrid work models seeing a surge and Teams adoption increasing over the previous year. The new Teams feature is powered by Microsoft Defender for Office 365 email and is officially called as Safe Links. It works behind the scenes by scanning a URL once it is clicked in Teams to ensure it is legitimate and trustworthy.
In the video below, Microsoft demonstrates how Safe Links work. According to Microsoft, Safe Links has already detected 2 million different URL-based payloads that attackers build to execute credential phishing attacks.
Hackers, on the other hand, may frequently get around these safeguards by sending redirect URLs and utilizing other phishing-blocking technologies. With the Safe Links feature in Teams and other Microsoft 365 apps, Microsoft is a step ahead of the game. Before you open a page, Safe Links may check the URL. Your web browser will direct you to a page with notice if the URL does not check out.
Safe Links may be used in Microsoft Teams Calling conversations, group chats, and channels. Customers that use both Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 can make use of the functionality. IT administrators may enable it in the Microsoft 365 Defender interface by creating a Safe Links policy.
Safe Links adds to the various security features that Microsoft has already included in Teams. Conditional access, end-to-end encryption, and a slew of meeting safety rules are all examples. “Given the changing nature of work, securing collaboration tools is critical, and Safe Links is only one element of an expanding range of security and compliance capabilities,” Microsoft stated.
