Title

Set encryption type for password protected Office 97 thru Office 2003 files - Office (Cat II impact)

Discussion

If unencrypted files are intercepted, sensitive information in the files can be compromised. To protect information confidentiality, Microsoft Office application files can be encrypted and password protected. Only users who know the correct password will be able to decrypt such files. By default, Excel 2007, PowerPoint 2007, and Word 2007 use Office 97/2000 compatible encryption, a proprietary encryption method, to encrypt password-protected Office 97-2003 files.

Check Content

Validate the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2007 system >> Security Settings “Encryption type for password protected Office 97-2003 files” will minimally be set to “Enabled (Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider (Prototype),AES 128,128)”. Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Common\Security Criteria: If the minimum value DefaultEncryption is REG_SZ = “Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider (Prototype),AES 128,128”, this is not a finding. NOTE: “Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider,AES 128,128" or “Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider(Prototype),AES 128,128" is minimum setting required where can be up to key length of 256 if environment will support as “Enabled (Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider,AES 256,256)" or “Enabled Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider(Prototype),AES 256,256".

Fix Text

Set the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Office 2007 system >> Security Settings “Encryption type for password protected Office 97-2003 files” to “Enabled (Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider,AES 128,128)” for NON XP OS's or “Enabled (Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider (Prototype?,AES 128,128)”. NOTE: “Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider,AES 128,128" is minimum setting required where can be up to key length of 256 if environment will support as “Enabled (Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider,AES 256,256)” or “Enabled (Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider (Prototype),AES 256,256)”

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-18755r2_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-17617

Group Title:

Expert Comments

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