The loading of images from web pages must not be allowed.
An XCCDF Rule
Description
<VulnDiscussion>When users open web pages in Excel, Excel loads any graphics included in the pages, regardless of whether or not they were originally created in Excel. Allowing Excel to load graphics created in other programs can make Excel vulnerable to possible future zero-day attacks using graphic files as an attack vector. If such an event occurs, this setting can be used to mitigate the vulnerability.</VulnDiscussion><FalsePositives></FalsePositives><FalseNegatives></FalseNegatives><Documentable>false</Documentable><Mitigations></Mitigations><SeverityOverrideGuidance></SeverityOverrideGuidance><PotentialImpacts></PotentialImpacts><ThirdPartyTools></ThirdPartyTools><MitigationControl></MitigationControl><Responsibility>System Administrator</Responsibility><Responsibility>Information Assurance Officer</Responsibility><IAControls></IAControls>
- ID
- SV-53820r1_rule
- Severity
- Medium
- References
- Updated
Remediation - Manual Procedure
Set the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Excel 2013 -> Excel Options -> Advanced -> Web Options -> General "Load pictures from Web pages not created in Excel" to "Disabled".