The ability to run programs from a PowerPoint presentation must be disallowed.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-17788	DTOO289	SV-53519r1_rule	ECSC-1	Medium

Description
Action buttons can be used to launch external programs from PowerPoint presentations. If a malicious person adds an action button to a presentation that launches a dangerous program, it could significantly affect the security of a user's computer and data.

STIG	Date
Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 STIG	2014-04-03

Details

Check Text ( C-47689r1_chk )
Verify the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 -> PowerPoint Options -> Security "Run Programs" must be "Enabled (disable - (don't run any programs))". Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\PowerPoint\security Criteria: If the value RunPrograms is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-47689r1_chk )

Verify the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 -> PowerPoint Options -> Security "Run Programs" must be "Enabled (disable - (don't run any programs))".

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

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\PowerPoint\security

Criteria: If the value RunPrograms is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-46446r1_fix)
Set the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 -> PowerPoint Options -> Security "Run Programs" to "Enabled (disable - (don't run any programs))".