Macros in all Office applications that are opened programmatically by another application must be opened based upon macro security level.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-223289 | O365-CO-000006 | SV-223289r961092_rule | CCI-001170 | medium |
| Description | ||||
| This policy setting controls whether macros can run in an Office 365 ProPlus application that is opened programmatically by another application. If this policy setting is enabled, the user can choose from three options for controlling macro behavior in Excel, PowerPoint, and Word when the application is opened programmatically: - Disable macros by default ¬- all macros are disabled in the programmatically opened application. - Macros enabled (default) - macros can run in the programmatically opened application. This option enforces the default configuration in Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. - User application macro security level - macro functionality is determined by the setting in the "Macro Settings" section of the Trust Center. If this policy setting is disabled or not configured, when a separate program is used to launch Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, or Word programmatically, any macros can run in the programmatically opened application without being blocked. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2026-02-12 | |||
Related Frameworks
1 mapping across 3 frameworks
Related Frameworks
SCF0 mappings
No source states a mapping between these directly.
Also reachable in 3 hops (2) derived by us, not asserted by any source
Each of these is a route we composed by chaining published mappings. No publisher states a relationship between the two endpoints.
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)V3R5intersects(normalised)
- DISA CCI List2025-01-23equal to(normalised)
- SCF Secure Traceability Relationship Mapping (STRM)2026.2intersects
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)V3R5intersects(normalised)
- DISA CCI List2025-01-23equal to(normalised)
- SCF Secure Traceability Relationship Mapping (STRM)2026.2intersects
NIST 800-530 mappings
No source states a mapping between these directly.
Also reachable in 2 hops (3) derived by us, not asserted by any source
Each of these is a route we composed by chaining published mappings. No publisher states a relationship between the two endpoints.
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)V3R5intersects(normalised)
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)V2R1our copyintersects(normalised)
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)V2R1intersects(normalised)
- DISA CCI List2025-01-23equal to(normalised)
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)V3R5intersects(normalised)
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)V2R1our copyintersects(normalised)
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)V2R1intersects(normalised)
- DISA CCI List2025-01-23equal to(normalised)
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)V3R5intersects(normalised)
- DISA CCI List2025-01-23equal to(normalised)
CCI1 mapping
CCI-001170
1.00
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)V3R5intersects(normalised)
Details
Check Text (C-223289r961092_chk)
Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2016 >> Security Settings "Automation Security" is set to "Enabled (Use application macro security level)".
Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key:
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\Common\Security
If the value AutomationSecurity is REG_DWORD = 2, this is not a finding.
Fix Text (F-24950r442087_fix)
Set the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2016 >> Security Settings "Automation Security" to "Enabled (Use application macro security level)".