New security updates?

Has Microsoft introduced stronger security measures in a recent update. About a month ago, I noticed certain Access databases (or perhaps all of them) required me to confirm I wanted to open them, as if it was an internet download. I have also noticed that I cannot open databases hosted on a network if one of my applications is accessing it from a workstation (and an older app with crummy error trapping is all of a sudden backing out when it is the second workstation to access the database where in the past I could have 5 workstations accessing it).

Today, I opened up a database I have not used in a while (hosted on the network) and it said it was not on a trusted intranet site and I should move it to my own PC to access it.

Is there a way to dial down this paranoia?

What OS and what version of Office?

My main PC is XP Pro with Office XP, my other ir XP home with Office 97. The Access 97 db's are locking out and the XP db is the one that is fussy about being on a network drive. The Home/97 has some dual installs of certain office apps, but this has not been a problem in the past (well, at least not in this case... virtual PC's are much better for legacy support I hope).

For Access XP and 2003 there is what is called the Sandbox security.

Point #4 of my Access Security FAQ: http://vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=402072

This is not what I am experiencing exactly (though its good to know). Every year, I need to edit settings in my software to reflect changes in the 3rd party software. For ease, I link needed tables into my own database and manipulate information there.

In the past, I could open my databases at any time, including when my VB had them open. This year, many of my databases open with a prompt that the database is from an unknown publisher, and wants me to confirm that I want to open it. No big deal... annoying, but I get in.

However, I cannot open the database when VB is accessing it. The double-click is ignored. Only once the VB app is stopped, can I open it. I think this is why I cannot have multiple workstations accessing the DB at the same time... but I could last year, and have it open and edit one tables while the VB apps populated others.

This is all in Access 97 mostly. In addition, Office XP will not open databases "outside my trusted area or intranet". I thought mapped network drives (some to my own hard drive) counted as intranet, but I guess the settings say its untrustworthy anyway.

I made it through this season, thanks to a more powerful PC that could crunch the data itself- I did not have to network multiple workstations. I also took turns letting myself and VB access the database since it no longer multi-tasks, but sheesh, what a hassle!

This is why I ask, what has changed with security settings in the last 12 months that would have such a global effect? I use Windows update, but not Microsoft Update for office apps (except one older PC that I hoped would fix the Excel problem it has, but didn't), so I am guessing this is a windows setting, not an office setting.

(I tried setting sandbox to 0... same problems)