The Update of automatic links setting must be configured to prompt user before allowing links to be updated.

From Microsoft Excel 2013 STIG

Part of DTOO150 - Automatic Link Updates

Associated with: CCI-001243

SV-53815r1_rule The Update of automatic links setting must be configured to prompt user before allowing links to be updated.

Vulnerability discussion

If an Excel workbook contains links to other documents and users are not prompted to approve them, the contents of the workbook might change without the users' knowledge because the linked files have changed. This has the risk of introducing corrupt or malicious content into the document. Prompting the user to update links will allow the content to be updated only with the user's knowledge.

Check content

Verify the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Excel 2013 -> Excel options -> Advanced -> "Ask to update automatic links" is set to "Enabled". Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\software\policies\Microsoft\office\15.0\excel\options\binaryoptions Criteria: If the value fupdateext_78_1 is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding.

Fix text

Set the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Excel 2013 -> Excel options -> Advanced -> "Ask to update automatic links" to "Enabled".

Pro Tips

Lavender hyperlinks in small type off to the right (of CSS class id, if you view the page source) point to globally unique URIs for each document and item. Copy the link location and paste anywhere you need to talk unambiguously about these things.

You can obtain data about documents and items in other formats. Simply provide an HTTP header Accept: text/turtle or Accept: application/rdf+xml.