Microsoft is launching a new security feature designed to protect Teams users from fraudulent external callers impersonating trusted organizations.
The Brand Impersonation Protection for Teams Calling will roll out starting mid-February 2026, with general availability expected by late February.
The new protection mechanism evaluates inbound calls from external parties to identify signs of brand impersonation and social engineering attempts.
When suspicious activity is detected, Teams will display high-risk call warnings to users before they answer, giving them the opportunity to reject potentially fraudulent calls.
This proactive approach aims to reduce caller spoofing incidents and protect organizations from voice-based social engineering attacks.
The feature represents Microsoft’s continued investment in caller identity verification and secure collaboration infrastructure.
By implementing this safeguard by default across all Teams Calling deployments, Microsoft aims to create a more secure communication environment for enterprise users receiving first-contact external calls.
Strengthening Caller Identity Security
Brand Impersonation Protection will be enabled by default for all organizations using Microsoft Teams Calling.
Users will retain full control over suspicious calls, with options to accept, block, or end the connection.
Risk assessments may continue throughout the call if suspicious patterns persist, allowing users to make real-time decisions about call legitimacy.
Importantly, existing Teams Calling policies remain unchanged, ensuring backward compatibility and reducing implementation friction for IT departments.
The feature will function independently from current security configurations, minimizing disruption to established workflows.
Microsoft indicates that no immediate administrative action is required. However, organizations should prepare internal teams accordingly.
IT helpdesks should be briefed that users may encounter high-risk call warnings, reducing support ticket confusion during the initial rollout period.
Security teams are advised to update internal security training materials and awareness programs to educate employees about the new warning system.
This proactive communication helps users understand when warnings appear and how to respond appropriately, enhancing overall organizational security posture.
Currently, no specific compliance considerations have been identified by Microsoft. However, organizations should review the feature within their own compliance frameworks as applicable.
Additional documentation on caller ID security protocols will be published before the rollout begins.
This update aligns with industry efforts to combat telecommunications fraud and represents a meaningful step toward reducing credential-based social engineering attacks targeting enterprise users through voice channels.
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