Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) server launch in Excel must be blocked.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-223312 | O365-EX-000003 | SV-223312r961086_rule | CCI-001662 | medium |
| Description | ||||
| This policy setting allows you to control whether Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) server launch is allowed. By default, DDE server launch is turned off, but users can turn on DDE server launch by going to File >> Options >> Trust Center >> Trust Center Settings >> External Content. For security reasons, turning on DDE server launch is not recommended. Note: For DDE server launch to work, Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) server lookup must be turned on. Be sure that the “Don't allow Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) server lookup” policy setting is not enabled, because enabling that policy setting turns off DDE server lookup. If you enable this policy setting, DDE server launch is not allowed, and users cannot turn on DDE server launch in the Trust Center. If you disable this policy setting, DDE server launch is allowed, and users cannot turn off DDE server launch in the Trust Center. For security reasons, this is not recommended. If you do not configure this policy setting, DDE server launch is turned off, but users can turn on DDE server launch in the Trust Center. Note: This policy setting only applies to subscription versions of Office, such as Office 365 ProPlus. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2025-03-05 | |||
Related Frameworks
1 mapping across 4 frameworks
Related Frameworks
SCF0 mappings
No source states a mapping between these directly.
Also reachable in 3 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)3intersects(normalised)
- DISA CCI List2025-01-23equal to(normalised)
- SCF Secure Traceability Relationship Mapping (STRM)2026.2intersects
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)3intersects(normalised)
- DISA CCI List2025-01-23equal to(normalised)
- SCF Secure Traceability Relationship Mapping (STRM)2026.2intersects
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)3intersects(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 (4) 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)3intersects(normalised)
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)3our copyintersects(normalised)
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)3intersects(normalised)
- DISA CCI List2025-01-23equal to(normalised)
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)3intersects(normalised)
- DISA CCI List2025-01-23equal to(normalised)
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)3intersects(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)3intersects(normalised)
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)V2R1our copyintersects(normalised)
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)V2R1intersects(normalised)
- DISA CCI List2025-01-23equal to(normalised)
CCI1 mapping
CCI-001662
1.00
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)3intersects(normalised)
NIST CSF 2.00 mappings
No source states a mapping between these directly.
Also reachable in 4 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.
ID.RA-08
0.50
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)3intersects(normalised)
- DISA CCI List2025-01-23equal to(normalised)
- SCF Secure Traceability Relationship Mapping (STRM)2026.2intersects
- NIST OLIR Informative ReferenceOLIR 153 (2025-04-07)intersects(normalised)SCF Focal Document mapping (catalog)SCF 2026.2 focalintersects(normalised)
PR.PS-02
0.50
- DISA STIG Benchmark (XCCDF)3intersects(normalised)
- DISA CCI List2025-01-23equal to(normalised)
- SCF Secure Traceability Relationship Mapping (STRM)2026.2intersects
- NIST OLIR Informative ReferenceOLIR 153 (2025-04-07)intersects(normalised)SCF Focal Document mapping (catalog)SCF 2026.2 focalintersects(normalised)
Details
Check Text (C-223312r961086_chk)
Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Excel 2016 >> Excel Options >> Security >> Trust Center >> External Content >> Don't allow Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) server launch in Excel is set to "Enabled".
Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key:
HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\security\external content
If the value for "disableddeserverlaunch" is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.
Fix Text (F-24973r442156_fix)
Set policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Excel 2016 >> Excel Options >> Security >> Trust Center >> External Content >> Don't allow Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) server launch in Excel to "Enabled".