Files located in unsafe locations must be opened in Protected view in Word.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-223403	O365-WD-000004	SV-223403r508019_rule		Medium

Description
This policy setting lets you determine if files located in unsafe locations will open in Protected View. If you have not specified unsafe locations, only the "Downloaded Program Files" and "Temporary Internet Files" folders are considered unsafe locations. If you enable this policy setting, files located in unsafe locations do not open in Protected View. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, files located in unsafe locations open in Protected View.

Description

This policy setting lets you determine if files located in unsafe locations will open in Protected View. If you have not specified unsafe locations, only the "Downloaded Program Files" and "Temporary Internet Files" folders are considered unsafe locations. If you enable this policy setting, files located in unsafe locations do not open in Protected View. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, files located in unsafe locations open in Protected View.

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

Details

Check Text ( C-25076r442428_chk )
Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Word 2016 >> Word Options >> Security >> Trust Center >> Protected View >> Do not open files in unsafe locations in Protected View is set to "Disabled". Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\security\protectedview. If the value for disableunsafelocationsinpv is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding. If the value does not exist, this is not a finding. If the value is REG_DWORD = 1, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-25076r442428_chk )

Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Word 2016 >> Word Options >> Security >> Trust Center >> Protected View >> Do not open files in unsafe locations in Protected View is set to "Disabled".

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

HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\security\protectedview.

If the value for disableunsafelocationsinpv is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding. If the value does not exist, this is not a finding.

If the value is REG_DWORD = 1, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-25064r442429_fix)
Set the policy setting, User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Word 2016 >> Word Options >> Security >> Trust Center >> Protected View >> Do not open files in unsafe locations in Protected View to "Disabled".