Title

Open/Save actions for Excel 2 worksheets must be blocked. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

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. If you enable this policy setting, you can specify whether users can open, view, edit, or save files. The options that can be selected are below. Note: Not all options may be available for this policy setting.- Do not block: The file type will not be blocked.- Save blocked: Saving of the file type will be blocked.- Open/Save blocked, use open policy: Both opening and saving of the file type will be blocked. The file will open based on the policy setting configured in the "default file block behavior" key.- Block: Both opening and saving of the file type will be blocked, and the file will not open.- Open in Protected View: Both opening and saving of the file type will be blocked, and the option to edit the file type will not be enabled.- Allow editing and open in Protected View: Both opening and saving of the file type will be blocked, and the option to edit will be enabled. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the file type will be blocked.

Check Content

Verify the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Excel 2016 -> Excel Options -> Security -> Trust Center -> File Block Settings "Excel 2 worksheets" is set to "Enabled: Open/Save blocked, use open policy". Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\excel\security\fileblock Criteria: If the value XL2Worksheets is REG_DWORD = 2, this is not a finding.

Fix Text

Set the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Excel 2016 -> Excel Options -> Security -> Trust Center -> File Block Settings "Excel 2 worksheets" to "Enabled: Open/Save blocked, use open policy".

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-238165r879628_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-238165

Group Title: SRG-APP-000207

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

Controls tied to check. These are derived from the CCIs shown above.