Loading of pictures from Web pages not created in Excel must be disabled.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
medium	V-223329	SRG-APP-000488	O365-EX-000020	SV-223329r961779_rule	2025-03-05	3

Description
This policy setting controls whether Excel loads graphics when opening Web pages that were not created in Excel. It configures the "Load pictures from Web pages not created in Excel" option under the File tab >> Options >> Advanced >> General >> Web Options... >> General tab. If you enable or do not configure this policy setting, Excel loads any graphics that are included in the pages, regardless of whether they were originally created in Excel. If you disable this policy setting, Excel will not load any pictures from Web pages that were not created in Excel.

Description

This policy setting controls whether Excel loads graphics when opening Web pages that were not created in Excel. It configures the "Load pictures from Web pages not created in Excel" option under the File tab >> Options >> Advanced >> General >> Web Options... >> General tab. If you enable or do not configure this policy setting, Excel loads any graphics that are included in the pages, regardless of whether they were originally created in Excel. If you disable this policy setting, Excel will not load any pictures from Web pages that were not created in Excel.

ℹ️ Check
Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Excel 2016 >> Excel Options >> Advanced >> Web Options... >> General. Load pictures from Web pages not created in Excel is set to "Disabled". Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\internet If the value for donotloadpictures is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

ℹ️ Check

Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Excel 2016 >> Excel Options >> Advanced >> Web Options... >> General. Load pictures from Web pages not created in Excel is set to "Disabled". Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\internet If the value for donotloadpictures is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

✔️ Fix
Set policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Excel 2016 >> Excel Options >> Advanced >> Web Options... >> General >> Load pictures from Web pages not created in Excel to "Disabled".