Details

This policy setting governs the default format for new presentation files that users create. The recommended state for this setting is: Enabled. (PowerPoint Presentation (*pptx)) By default, when users create new PowerPoint files, PowerPoint saves them in the new *.pptx file format. Users can change this functionality by clicking the Office button, clicking PowerPoint Options, and then selecting a file format from the Default file format list. Disabling this setting allows users to choose from any of the available default file formats. If a new PowerPoint file is created in an earlier format, some users may not be unable to open or use the file, or they may choose a format that is less secure than the PowerPoint format.

Solution

To implement the recommended configuration state, set the following Group Policy setting to Enabled. User ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesMicrosoft PowerPoint 2016PowerPoint OptionsSaveDefault file format Impact: Enabling this setting does not prevent users from choosing a different file format for a new PowerPoint file, and therefore, it is unlikely to affect usability for most users.

Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/573

This security hardening control applies to the following category of controls within NIST 800-53: Configuration Management.This control applies to the following type of system Windows.

References

• 800-53|CM-6b.

Source

• Tenable.com/audits