The Publisher Automation Security Level must be configured for high security.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-26708	DTOO323	SV-53256r1_rule		Medium

Description
When a separate application is used to launch Publisher 2013 programmatically, any macros can run in the programmatically-opened application without being blocked. Disabling or not configuring this setting could allow a malicious user to use automation to run malicious code in Publisher 2013.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Publisher 2013 STIG	2018-04-04

Details

Check Text ( C-47558r1_chk )
Verify the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Publisher 2013 -> Security "Publisher Automation Security Level" is set to "Enabled and High (Disabled)" is selected. Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\Common\Security Criteria: If the value AutomationSecurityPublisher is REG_DWORD = 3, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-47558r1_chk )

Verify the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Publisher 2013 -> Security "Publisher Automation Security Level" is set to "Enabled and High (Disabled)" is selected.

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

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\Common\Security

Criteria: If the value AutomationSecurityPublisher is REG_DWORD = 3, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-46185r1_fix)
Set the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Publisher 2013 -> Security "Publisher Automation Security Level" to "Enabled and High (Disabled)" is selected.