Office applications must be configured to specify encryption type in password-protected Office 97-2003 files.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-223291 | O365-CO-000008 | SV-223291r961128_rule | CCI-001199 | medium |
| Description | ||||
| This policy setting enables you to specify an encryption type for password-protected Office 97-2003 files. If you enable this policy setting, you can specify the type of encryption that Office applications will use to encrypt password-protected files in the older Office 97-2003 file formats. The chosen encryption type must have a corresponding cryptographic service provider (CSP) installed on the computer that encrypts the file. See the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptography\Defaults\Provider\ registry key for a list of CSPs installed on the local computer. Specify the encryption type to use by entering it in the provided text box in the following form: <Encryption Provider>,<Encryption Algorithm>,<Encryption Key Length>. For example, Microsoft Enhanced Cryptographic Provider v1.0,RC4,128 If you do not configure this policy setting, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word use Office 97/2000 Compatible encryption, a proprietary encryption method, to encrypt password-protected Office 97-2003 files. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2025-03-05 | |||
Related Frameworks
3 paths across 3 frameworks
Related Frameworks
NIST 800-531 mapping
SC-28
1.00
- DISA · 3 · disa_xccdf · related
- DISA · 2025-01-23 · disa_cci_list · equivalent
NIST 800-1711 mapping
3.13.16
1.00
- DISA · 3 · disa_xccdf · related
- DISA · 2025-01-23 · disa_cci_list · equivalent
- NIST · Rev 2 (Feb 2020, errata Jan 2021) · nist_800_171_app_d · equivalent
CCI1 mapping
CCI-001199
1.00
- DISA · 3 · disa_xccdf · related
Details
Check Text (C-223291r961128_chk)
Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2016 >> Security Settings >> Encryption type for password protected Office 97-2003 files is set to Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider,AES 256,256.
Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key:
HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\security
If the value defaultencryption12 is set to REG_SZ = "Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider,AES 256,256", this is not a finding.
Fix Text (F-24952r442093_fix)
Set the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2016 >> Security Settings >> Encryption type for password protected Office 97-2003 files to Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider,AES 256,256.