Excel attachments opened from Outlook must be in Protected View.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-238190	DTOO293	SV-238190r879630_rule		Medium

Description

This policy setting allows you to determine if Excel files in Outlook attachments open in Protected View. If you enable this policy setting, Outlook attachments do not open in Protected View. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Outlook attachments open in Protected View.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Excel 2016 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-02-21

Details

Check Text (C-41400r652501_chk)

Verify the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Excel 2016 -> Excel Options -> Security -> Trust Center -> Protected View "Turn off Protected View for attachments opened from Outlook" is set to "Disabled".

Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key:

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Excel\security\protectedview

Criteria: If the value DisableAttachmentsInPV is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-41359r652502_fix)

Set the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Excel 2016 -> Excel Options -> Security -> Trust Center -> Protected View "Turn off Protected View for attachments opened from Outlook" to "Disabled".