Changes in Office 2024 regarding ActiveX

Upon the release of Microsoft Office 2024 this October, ActiveX will no longer be enabled by default, as reported by Bleeping Computer. This adjustment will impact the desktop editions of Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Visio, and will be implemented in Microsoft 365 from April 2025 onwards.

The rationale for this decision is the exploitation of ActiveX vulnerabilities by cybercriminals to infiltrate malicious software into computers.

ActiveX, introduced in 1996, is a platform utilized for integrating interactive components into Office files.

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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