Microsoft Teams is a key part of the Microsoft Office 365 suite. It works seamlessly with other apps like SharePoint Online, OneDrive, and Exchange Online, making it easy for users to share files, send instant messages, and hold video meetings with up to 1,000 participants.
Microsoft Teams, though designed for business use, finds its way into personal life as well. Users are leveraging its robust features for diverse activities like hosting online game sessions. It also facilitates family communication during trips. For event organization, Teams offers an alternative to Facebook, showcasing its versatility beyond the workplace. In education, it is considered for homeschooling. Parents are incorporating it into their children’s learning, using Teams and OneNote to teach file and time management. Its capabilities for long-duration, high-quality video calls make it a preferred choice for extended conversations with friends, demonstrating that this professional tool can seamlessly adapt to personal needs.
Security By Design
Microsoft Teams is built on the secure foundation of Microsoft 365 and Office 365, both of which are enterprise-grade cloud platforms. This means it comes with solid security features and compliance capabilities, which are regularly verified through external audits to ensure they meet the highest standards.
While it is impossible to protect against every potential threat, Microsoft Teams is built with a secure design approach and follows industry-accepted security standards. This means security is a core part of how Teams is developed, helping to minimize risks and protect users as much as possible.
Case Study: Exploitation of Microsoft Teams Vulnerabilities
In March 2020, researchers at CyberArk found a serious vulnerability in Microsoft Teams. The issue was related to how Teams handles access tokens, which let users view attached images. By sending a specially crafted GIF, attackers could steal these tokens and perform actions on behalf of the victim using Teams APIs. The victim would see the image as just another harmless GIF, completely unaware that their account had been compromised. The most alarming part was that this vulnerability could spread like a worm, infecting other accounts automatically.
Fortunately, once CyberArk reported the issue, Microsoft acted quickly and patched the vulnerability before any attackers could exploit it.
In March 2021, Microsoft introduced the Microsoft Applications Bounty Program to encourage researchers worldwide to find previously unknown vulnerabilities in the latest versions of Microsoft Teams, both on desktop and mobile. Researchers who discover, describe, and demonstrate a valid security flaw can earn up to $30,000, highlighting Microsoft’s commitment to keeping the platform secure and proactively addressing potential risks.
How To Use Microsoft Teams Securely
1. Set up individual accounts for each family member instead of sharing one. This helps protect personal information and ensures privacy for everyone using the platform.
2. Make sure each account has a strong and unique password. Avoid using simple or common passwords. Consider using a password manager to generate and store secure passwords.
3. Add an extra layer of security by enabling two-factor authentication on all accounts. This prevents unauthorized access even if someone obtains your password.
4. For family meetings or gatherings, use the “Invite Only” feature to restrict access. This prevents unwanted guests from joining your virtual gatherings.
5. Check which apps and integrations have access to your Teams account. Remove any that you do not use or do not trust to minimize the risk of data exposure.
6. Ensure that the Teams app is always up-to-date on all devices. Updates often include security patches that protect against the latest threats.
7. To prevent disruptions and unwanted interactions, use the “Do Not Disturb” feature during personal activities or when children are using Teams for learning.
8. If children are using Teams for homeschooling or connecting with friends, monitor their usage and teach them basic online safety tips, like not accepting meeting invites from strangers.
9. If you are using Teams on a shared device, always log out after each session. This prevents others from accessing your account and personal info.
10. When on video calls, use a virtual background to protect your privacy and prevent others from seeing your home environment.
11. Educate everyone in the household about phishing and other social engineering tricks. Be cautious of unsolicited messages asking for personal information, and report any suspicious activity immediately.
Conclusion
Among collaboration apps, Microsoft Teams stands out as one of the most secure. However, attackers are constantly evolving their techniques, even targeting highly secure systems. To stay ahead of these threats, Microsoft continuously scans for vulnerabilities, rolls out updates, educates users, and communicates risk mitigation strategies to administrators.
Because Teams often hosts sensitive and confidential data, it is important to follow the best practices mentioned in this article and, when necessary, seek advice from information security experts to ensure your data remains protected.
