Files located in unsafe locations must be opened in Protected view in Word.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
medium	V-223403	SRG-APP-000207	O365-WD-000004	SV-223403r961086_rule	2025-03-05	3

Description
This policy setting lets you determine if files located in unsafe locations will open in Protected View. If you have not specified unsafe locations, only the "Downloaded Program Files" and "Temporary Internet Files" folders are considered unsafe locations. If you enable this policy setting, files located in unsafe locations do not open in Protected View. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, files located in unsafe locations open in Protected View.

Description

This policy setting lets you determine if files located in unsafe locations will open in Protected View. If you have not specified unsafe locations, only the "Downloaded Program Files" and "Temporary Internet Files" folders are considered unsafe locations. If you enable this policy setting, files located in unsafe locations do not open in Protected View. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, files located in unsafe locations open in Protected View.

ℹ️ Check
Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Word 2016 >> Word Options >> Security >> Trust Center >> Protected View >> Do not open files in unsafe locations in Protected View is set to "Disabled". Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\security\protectedview. If the value for disableunsafelocationsinpv is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding. If the value does not exist, this is not a finding. If the value is REG_DWORD = 1, this is a finding.

ℹ️ Check

Verify the policy value for User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Word 2016 >> Word Options >> Security >> Trust Center >> Protected View >> Do not open files in unsafe locations in Protected View is set to "Disabled". Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\security\protectedview. If the value for disableunsafelocationsinpv is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding. If the value does not exist, this is not a finding. If the value is REG_DWORD = 1, this is a finding.

✔️ Fix
Set the policy setting, User Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Microsoft Word 2016 >> Word Options >> Security >> Trust Center >> Protected View >> Do not open files in unsafe locations in Protected View to "Disabled".