All hyperlinks suddenly blocked in Word

[nomadreid]

Recently, a problem has appeared that I never had had on my computer. Take a link, no matter how harmless (http or https), and put it into a Word document (Microsoft Office Word 2007, running on a PC with Windows 10). It appears in blue and underlined, as usual. Now put the cursor on it, press Ctrl and click: until recently the link appeared in a browser. But now I get a message saying "The operation has been canceled due to restrictions in effect on this computer." Take the same link and put it in the address window in a browser, and the site comes up, no problem. So it would not be an ad-blocker or anti-virus function, I believe. Between when the function Wordlink-Ctrl-Click worked and when it didn't work, no new programs were added or subtracted from the computer. I am not sure how to even start looking into the problem. (Note that I am not a programmer, so that I cannot delve into the underlying programming of Word.) Any hints or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[jedishrfu]

MS advertised this feature a few months ago. You may have upgraded your software recently and have just now discovered it.

http://www.ibtimes.com/microsoft-wi...-links-office-365-programs-word-excel-2520657

 

[nomadreid]

Interesting. I am fine with malicious links being blocked. But ALL links, no matter how innocuous, are being blocked! I have tried it on a number of sites that are guaranteed non-malicious. It isn't letting anything through!

 

[nomadreid]

OK, I have found the place in the computer where I can turn on/off the Firewall. It seems that it is a "white list": that is, it simply blocks all sites that are not on Microsoft's list. I guess there are sites that Microsoft will let through, but I haven't found them. (It won't even let the BBC through !) So the Firewall is throwing the baby out with the bath water. Therefore I am tempted to simply turn off the Firewall altogether. I have anti-virus and ad-blocker programs in place, and occasionally scan for malicious sites, so what would you judge the increased risk to be if I just turn off the Microsoft Firewall?
I might add that the sites that Word will be blocking from access from Word/Excel documents will end up being opened up on my computer anyway, since, as I know now that Microsoft is not really blacklisting malicious sites in particular, I cannot take the block as a sign that the site as malicious, and will just cut-and-paste the link into my browser in order to open it.

 

[phinds]

OK, I have found the place in the computer where I can turn on/off the Firewall. It seems that it is a "white list": that is, it simply blocks all sites that are not on Microsoft's list. I guess there are sites that Microsoft will let through, but I haven't found them. (It won't even let the BBC through !) So the Firewall is throwing the baby out with the bath water. Therefore I am tempted to simply turn off the Firewall altogether. I have anti-virus and ad-blocker programs in place, and occasionally scan for malicious sites, so what would you judge the increased risk to be if I just turn off the Microsoft Firewall?
I might add that the sites that Word will be blocking from access from Word/Excel documents will end up being opened up on my computer anyway, since, as I know now that Microsoft is not really blacklisting malicious sites in particular, I cannot take the block as a sign that the site as malicious, and will just cut-and-paste the link into my browser in order to open it.

Microsoft is SUCH fun, and so caring about their users' ability to get things done.

 

[phyzguy]

There's a simple answer. Stop using Microsoft products.

 

[Tom.G]

Microsoft is SUCH fun, and so caring about their users' ability to get things done.

There's a simple answer. Stop using Microsoft products.

An even simpler answer, with an even shorter learning curve: TURN OFF AUTOMATIC UPDATES!
IMHO they are the biggest pain in the ... that anyone has ever come up with. (at least in software.)

 

[phinds]

An even simpler answer, with an even shorter learning curve: TURN OFF AUTOMATIC UPDATES!

That does nothing about the obnoxious junk that windows 10 comes packed with

 

[rbelli1]

MS advertised this feature a few months ago.

Well it's better than their old policy of always allowing everything automatically.

BoB