Relying on Vector markup Language (VML) for displaying graphics in browsers must be disallowed.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-228544	DTOO180	SV-228544r508020_rule		Medium

Description
When saving documents as web pages, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word can save vector-based graphics in Vector Markup Language (VML), which enables Internet Explorer to display them smoothly at any resolution. By default, when saving VML graphics, Office applications also save copies of the graphics in a standard raster file format (GIF or PNG) for use by browsers that cannot display VML. If the "Rely on VML for displaying graphics in browsers" check box in the web Options dialog box is selected, applications will not save raster copies of VML graphics, which means those graphics will not display in non-Microsoft browsers.

Description

When saving documents as web pages, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word can save vector-based graphics in Vector Markup Language (VML), which enables Internet Explorer to display them smoothly at any resolution. By default, when saving VML graphics, Office applications also save copies of the graphics in a standard raster file format (GIF or PNG) for use by browsers that cannot display VML. If the "Rely on VML for displaying graphics in browsers" check box in the web Options dialog box is selected, applications will not save raster copies of VML graphics, which means those graphics will not display in non-Microsoft browsers.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Office System 2013 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2020-09-25

Details

Check Text ( C-30777r498910_chk )
Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2013 >> Tools >> Options >> General >> Web Options >> Browsers "Rely on VML for displaying graphics in browsers" is set to "Disabled". Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\common\internet. If the value 'RelyOnVML' is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-30777r498910_chk )

Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2013 >> Tools >> Options >> General >> Web Options >> Browsers "Rely on VML for displaying graphics in browsers" is set to "Disabled".

Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\common\internet.

If the value 'RelyOnVML' is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-30762r498911_fix)
Set the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Office 2013 -> Tools \ Options \ General \ Web Options -> Browsers "Rely on VML for displaying graphics in browsers" to "Disabled".