Details

When users create new PowerPoint files, PowerPoint 2010 saves them in the new *.pptx format. Ensure this setting is enabled to specify that all new files are created in PowerPoint 2010. If a new file is created in an earlier format, some users may not be able to open or use the file, or they may choose a format this is less secure than the PowerPoint 2010 format. Users can still select a specific format when they save files, but they cannot change default of this setting from the PowerPoint Options dialog box. This enforced user behavior ensures any change to the file format requires additional deliberate user interaction.

Solution

Set the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 -> PowerPoint Options -> Save ‘default file format’ to ‘Enabled PowerPoint Presentation (*.pptx)’.

Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_MS_PowerPoint_2010_V1R10_STIG.zip

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-7a.
• CAT|II
• CCI|CCI-000381
• Rule-ID|SV-33599r1_rule
• STIG-ID|DTOO139
• Vuln-ID|V-17521

Source

• Tenable.com/audits