Permit download of content from safe zones must be configured.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-228460	DTOO272	SV-228460r508021_rule		Medium

Description
This policy setting controls whether Outlook automatically downloads content from safe zones when displaying messages. If you enable this policy setting content from safe zones will be downloaded automatically. If you disable this policy Outlook will not automatically download content from safe zones. Recipients can choose to download external content from untrusted senders on a message-by-message basis. If you do not configure this policy setting, Outlook automatically downloads content from sites that are considered "safe," as defined in the Security tab of the Internet Options dialog box in Internet Explorer. Important - Note that this policy setting is "backward." Despite the name, disabling the policy setting prevents the download of content from safe zones and enabling the policy setting allows it.

Description

This policy setting controls whether Outlook automatically downloads content from safe zones when displaying messages. If you enable this policy setting content from safe zones will be downloaded automatically. If you disable this policy Outlook will not automatically download content from safe zones. Recipients can choose to download external content from untrusted senders on a message-by-message basis. If you do not configure this policy setting, Outlook automatically downloads content from sites that are considered "safe," as defined in the Security tab of the Internet Options dialog box in Internet Explorer. Important - Note that this policy setting is "backward." Despite the name, disabling the policy setting prevents the download of content from safe zones and enabling the policy setting allows it.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Outlook 2016 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2021-12-21

Details

Check Text ( C-30693r497702_chk )
Verify the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Outlook 2016 -> Security -> Automatic Picture Download Settings "Do not permit download of content from safe zones" is set to "Disabled". Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\outlook\options\mail Criteria: If the value UnblockSafeZone is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-30693r497702_chk )

Verify the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Outlook 2016 -> Security -> Automatic Picture Download Settings "Do not permit download of content from safe zones" is set to "Disabled".

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

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\outlook\options\mail

Criteria: If the value UnblockSafeZone is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-30678r497703_fix)
Set the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Outlook 2016 -> Security -> Automatic Picture Download Settings "Do not permit download of content from safe zones" to "Disabled".