General Office Security [Office 2003 SDK Documentation]
The Security dialog box contains several options for providing security for Microsoft Office 2003 users. The following table explains the security options in this dialog box that relate specifically to smart document, add-in, and macro security.
Security Dialog Box Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Very High | Specifies that Microsoft Office 2003 does not run any macros or add-ins. However, if the Trust all installed add-ins and templates check box is selected, all installed add-ins and templates will function normally, but macros will not function unless they are installed in a trusted location. |
| High | Specifies that Office 2003 does not run any macros or add-ins unless they are signed and from a trusted source or are installed in a trusted location. Office 2003 disables all other macros. |
| Medium | Specifies that Office 2003 automatically runs any macros or add-ins that are signed and from a trusted source or are installed in a trusted location. Office 2003 prompts the user for permission to run all other macros and add-ins. |
| Low | Specifies that Office 2003 runs all macros or add-ins regardless of whether a macro is signed, who it is from, or where it is located. |
| Trust all installed add-ins and templates |
Specifies that Office 2003 treats installed add-ins and templates with the same security level that it uses when normally opening a document file. If cleared, Office 2003 applies security warnings to all files, including add-ins and templates, according to the current security level.
Note The criterion for being an installed add-in or template varies slightly between Microsoft Office Word 2003 and Microsoft Office Excel 2003. In Word 2003, templates in the Template directory and files in the Startup directory are considered installed. In Excel 2003, add-ins that are registered in the Add-ins dialog box (Tools menu) are considered installed. |
Security Matrix
The general security check that Office 2003 performs at this stage depends on the settings specified on your users' computers. The following matrix explains the behavior when a user selects one or more of these options.
| Security level | Trust all installedadd-ins andtemplates check box | Digitallysigned | From a trusted source | In a trusted location | Word 2003 and Excel 2003 behavior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very High | Cleared | Yes | Yes | — | Doesn't load the add-in or macro. |
| Very High | Cleared | Yes | No | — | Doesn't load the add-in or macro. |
| Very High | Cleared | No | — | — | Doesn't load the add-in or macro. |
| High | Cleared | Yes | Yes | — | Loads the add-in or macro. |
| High | Cleared | Yes | No | — | Prompts to enable or disable the add-in or macro. |
| High | Cleared | No | — | — | Doesn't load the add-in or macro. |
| Medium | Cleared | Yes | Yes | — | Loads the add-in or macro. |
| Medium | Cleared | Yes | No | — | Prompts to enable or disable the add-in or macro. |
| Medium | Cleared | No | — | — | Prompts to enable or disable the add-in or macro. |
| Low | Cleared | — | — | — | Loads the add-in or macro. |
| Very High, High, Medium, or Low | Selected | — | — | Yes | Loads the add-in or macro. |
| High or Medium | Selected | Yes | No | No | Prompts to enable or disable the add-in or macro. |
| High | Selected | No | — | No | Doesn't load the add-in or macro. |
| Medium | Selected | No | — | No | Prompts to enable or disable the add-in or macro. |
For more general information about Office security, see the Microsoft Office Macro Security white paper, which was written for Microsoft Office XP security, or the Microsoft Office Security white paper for Office 2003. You can find additional information about security on the Microsoft Security and Privacy site.