Details
This policy setting allows you to determine if files downloaded from the Internet zone open in Protected View. If you enable this policy setting, files downloaded from the Internet zone do not open in Protected View. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, files downloaded from the Internet zone open in Protected View. The recommended state for this setting is: Disabled. Enabling this setting allows files that users download from the Internet zone open outside of Protected View. This could allow malicious code to become active on user computers or the network.
Solution
To implement the recommended configuration state, set the following Group Policy setting to Disabled. User ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesMicrosoft Word 2016Word OptionsSecurityTrust CenterProtected ViewDo Not Open Files From The Internet Zone in Protected View Impact: When files open in Protected View, some functionality will be unavailable and productivity in your organization could be affected. When this is undesirable, users will have to add sites to their trusted sites list in Internet Explorer, thus allowing the files to be opened in normal view with all functionality available.
Supportive Information
The following resource is also helpful.
This security hardening control applies to the following category of controls within NIST 800-53: System and Communications Protection.This control applies to the following type of system Windows.