Ensure 'Make hidden markup visible' is set to 'Enabled'

HighLevel 1Automatedoffice

Description

This policy setting controls whether hidden markup is visible when users open PowerPoint files in standard or HTML format. The recommended state for this setting is: Enabled. Rationale: If a file is saved with hidden markup, users might inadvertently distribute sensitive comments or information outside of their trusted circle without realizing that this information is still present in the document. User setting: the audit checks HKEY_USERS\<SID>\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\options:markupopensave (REG_DWORD) in every loaded user hive (S-1-5-21-*) and is compliant when each holds 1. It prints 'no-user-hive-loaded' (FAIL) when no user profile is loaded, so scan while users are logged on.

How it is checked

Audit method: Windows registry

registry

$sids = @(Get-ChildItem -Path 'Registry::HKEY_USERS' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Where-Object { $_.PSChildName -match '^S-1-5-21-\d+-\d+-\d+-\d+$' } | ForEach-Object { $_.PSChildName }); if ($sids.Count -eq 0) { 'no-user-hive-loaded' } else { $bad = @(); foreach ($s in $sids) { $v = (Get-ItemProperty -Path ('Registry::HKEY_USERS\' + $s + '\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\options') -Name 'markupopensave' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).'markupopensave'; if (-not ($null -ne $v -and @(1) -contains [int64]$v)) { $bad += $s + ':markupopensave=' + $v } }; if ($bad.Count -eq 0) { 'compliant' } else { 'non-compliant: ' + ($bad -join ', ') } }

Expected output: compliant

How it is fixed

Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch

Configure through Group Policy (User Configuration): User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft PowerPoint 2016\PowerPoint Options\Security\Make hidden markup visible = Enabled

Properties

Operating systems: Any
Tags: officeproductivitycis-l1
Reference: CIS Microsoft Office Enterprise Benchmark v2.0.0 - 2.6.6.6.3 Ensure 'Make hidden markup visible' is set to 'Enabled'

Check this host

Run this on a machine you are allowed to audit. The scan is read-only.

shell

tmaegis scan --target office