Block pop-ups for links that invoke instances of IE from within Excel

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-17184	DTOO129 - Excel	SV-18210r2_rule	ECSC-1	Medium

Description
The Pop-up Blocker feature in Internet Explorer can be used to block most unwanted pop-up and pop-under windows from appearing. This functionality can be controlled separately for instances of Internet Explorer spawned by 2007 Office applications (for example, if a user clicks a link in an Office document or selects a menu option that loads a web page). If the Pop-up Blocker is disabled, disruptive and potentially dangerous pop-up windows could load and present a security risk.

Description

The Pop-up Blocker feature in Internet Explorer can be used to block most unwanted pop-up and pop-under windows from appearing. This functionality can be controlled separately for instances of Internet Explorer spawned by 2007 Office applications (for example, if a user clicks a link in an Office document or selects a menu option that loads a web page). If the Pop-up Blocker is disabled, disruptive and potentially dangerous pop-up windows could load and present a security risk.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Excel 2007	2015-10-02

Details

Check Text ( C-17893r3_chk )
Validate the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2007 system (Machine) >> Security Settings >> IE Security “Block popups” is set to “Enabled” and "excel.exe" check box is checked. Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\FEATURE_WEBOC_POPUPMANAGEMENT Criteria: If the value excel.exe is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-17893r3_chk )

Validate the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2007 system (Machine) >> Security Settings >> IE Security “Block popups” is set to “Enabled” and "excel.exe" check box is checked.

Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\FEATURE_WEBOC_POPUPMANAGEMENT

Criteria: If the value excel.exe is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-17055r3_fix)
Set the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2007 system (Machine) >> Security Settings >> IE Security “Block popups” to “Enabled” and select the "excel.exe" check box.