Microsoft Teams administrators finally get the option to block external bots from meetings

• Microsoft used to tell you when a bot was in the lobby, now you can automatically block it
• Watch out, because legitimate add-ons like AI assistants could end up being blocked
• More protections are coming to Teams soon, too

Microsoft is rolling out an important new security policy for Teams, and admins can now finally block external meeting bots automatically.

Previously, the software would identify bots and label them accordingly within the lobby, but leave the final decision to meeting organizers – this new update prevents external bots from joining in the first place.

The company hopes the upgrade will give organizations more control over security to reduce the risks associated with unwanted participants.

Teams now automatically blocks external bots

Despite the new change, the policy will be disabled by default, so Microsoft won’t be banning third-party bots across the board. But company admins will be able to enable the policy for users or groups to reduce the burden and security risks accordingly, marking a major improvement over the earlier bot protections introduced just two months ago.

Importantly, any external bot detected in a meeting will be blocked from entering, thus legitimate tools could also be blocked, hence the decision to disable the tool by default. That includes legitimate tools like AI meeting assistants, transcription tools, recording add-ons and other similar tools.

“Bots have begun joining meetings that participants never intended them to attend,” Meera Ajam explained in a June post, hinting at a shift to hybrid (human and machine) participants.

Nevertheless, it’s an important change for the video conferencing platform, which has seen a rise in cybercriminal activity.

Further admin controls, like allow lists for approved bots and audit logs, are also set to come to the productivity suite. This latest update is starting to roll out now, with general availability expected by late September.

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With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!