Office applications must not load XML expansion packs with Smart Documents.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-223294	O365-CO-000012	SV-223294r508019_rule		Medium

Description
This policy setting controls whether Office 365 ProPlus applications can load an XML expansion pack manifest file with a Smart Document.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus Security Technical Implementation Guide	2021-03-22

Details

Check Text ( C-24967r442101_chk )
Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2016 >> Smart Documents (Word, Excel) >> Disable Smart Document's use of manifests is set to "Enabled". Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\common\smart tag If the value for neverloadmanifests is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-24967r442101_chk )

Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2016 >> Smart Documents (Word, Excel) >> Disable Smart Document's use of manifests is set to "Enabled".

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

HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\common\smart tag

If the value for neverloadmanifests is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-24955r442102_fix)
Set the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2016 >> Smart Documents (Word, Excel) >> Disable Smart Document's use of manifests to "Enabled".