Word must automatically disable unsigned add-ins without informing users.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-223400	O365-WD-000001	SV-223400r986159_rule		Medium

Description
This policy setting controls whether the specified Office application notifies users when unsigned application add-ins are loaded or silently disable such add-ins without notification. This policy setting only applies if the "Require that application add-ins are signed by Trusted Publisher" policy setting is enabled, which prevents users from changing this policy setting. If this policy setting is enabled, applications automatically disable unsigned add-ins without informing users. If this policy setting is disabled, if this application is configured to require that all add-ins be signed by a trusted publisher, any unsigned add-ins the application loads will be disabled and the application will display the Trust Bar at the top of the active window. The Trust Bar contains a message that informs users about the unsigned add-in. If this policy setting is not configured, the disable behavior applies, and in addition, users can configure this requirement themselves in the "Add-ins" category of the Trust Center for the application.

Description

This policy setting controls whether the specified Office application notifies users when unsigned application add-ins are loaded or silently disable such add-ins without notification. This policy setting only applies if the "Require that application add-ins are signed by Trusted Publisher" policy setting is enabled, which prevents users from changing this policy setting. If this policy setting is enabled, applications automatically disable unsigned add-ins without informing users. If this policy setting is disabled, if this application is configured to require that all add-ins be signed by a trusted publisher, any unsigned add-ins the application loads will be disabled and the application will display the Trust Bar at the top of the active window. The Trust Bar contains a message that informs users about the unsigned add-in. If this policy setting is not configured, the disable behavior applies, and in addition, users can configure this requirement themselves in the "Add-ins" category of the Trust Center for the application.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-06-10

Details

Check Text ( C-25073r442419_chk )
Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Word 2016 >> Word Options >> Security >> Trust Center >> Disable Trust Bar Notification for unsigned application add-ins and block them is set to "Enabled". Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\security If the value for notbpromptunsignedaddin is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-25073r442419_chk )

Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Word 2016 >> Word Options >> Security >> Trust Center >> Disable Trust Bar Notification for unsigned application add-ins and block them is set to "Enabled".

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

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

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

Fix Text (F-25061r442420_fix)
Set the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Word 2016 >> Word Options >> Security >> Trust Center >> Disable Trust Bar Notification for unsigned application add-ins and block them to "Enabled".