Automation Security to enforce macro level security in Office documents must be configured.

From Microsoft Office System 2010 STIG

Associated with: CCI-001170

SV-33454r1_rule Automation Security to enforce macro level security in Office documents must be configured.

Vulnerability discussion

When a separate program is used to launch Microsoft Office Excel, PowerPoint, or Word programmatically, any macros can run in the programmatically opened application without being blocked. This functionality could allow an attacker to use automation to run malicious code in Excel, PowerPoint, or Word.

Check content

The policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Office 2010-> Security Settings “Automation Security” must be "Enabled (Use application macro security level)”. Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\Common\Security Criteria: If the value AutomationSecurity is REG_DWORD = 2, this is not a finding.

Fix text

Set the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Office 2010-> Security Settings “Automation Security” to “Enabled (Use application macro security level)”.

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