Details

This policy setting allows you to determine whether users can open, view, edit, or save Excel files with the format specified by the title of this policy setting. The recommended state for this setting is: Enabled. (Open/Save blocked, use open policy) By default, users can open, view, or edit this type of document in Excel. 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 Enabled. User ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesMicrosoft Excel 2016Excel OptionsSecurityTrust CenterFile Block SettingsExcel 2 Macrosheets and Add-in Files Impact: If your users require open, save, or view ability and you block some or all of these abilities, you could affect the productivity of your organization.

Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/569

This security hardening control applies to the following category of controls within NIST 800-53: System and Information Integrity.This control applies to the following type of system Windows.

References

• 800-53|SI-3c.2.

Source

• Tenable.com/audits