Loading of pictures from Web pages not created in Excel must be disabled.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-223329	O365-EX-000020	SV-223329r508019_rule		Medium

Description
This policy setting controls whether Excel loads graphics when opening Web pages that were not created in Excel. It configures the "Load pictures from Web pages not created in Excel" option under the File tab >> Options >> Advanced >> General >> Web Options... >> General tab. If you enable or do not configure this policy setting, Excel loads any graphics that are included in the pages, regardless of whether they were originally created in Excel. If you disable this policy setting, Excel will not load any pictures from Web pages that were not created in Excel.

Description

This policy setting controls whether Excel loads graphics when opening Web pages that were not created in Excel. It configures the "Load pictures from Web pages not created in Excel" option under the File tab >> Options >> Advanced >> General >> Web Options... >> General tab. If you enable or do not configure this policy setting, Excel loads any graphics that are included in the pages, regardless of whether they were originally created in Excel. If you disable this policy setting, Excel will not load any pictures from Web pages that were not created in Excel.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus Security Technical Implementation Guide	2021-12-17

Details

Check Text ( C-25002r442206_chk )
Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Excel 2016 >> Excel Options >> Advanced >> Web Options... >> General. Load pictures from Web pages not created in Excel is set to "Disabled". Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\internet If the value for donotloadpictures is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-25002r442206_chk )

Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Excel 2016 >> Excel Options >> Advanced >> Web Options... >> General.

Load pictures from Web pages not created in Excel is set to "Disabled".

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

HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\internet

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

Fix Text (F-24990r442207_fix)
Set policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Excel 2016 >> Excel Options >> Advanced >> Web Options... >> General >> Load pictures from Web pages not created in Excel to "Disabled".