Disable additional security checks on VBA library references that may refer to unsafe locations on the local machine
Verified with Microsoft 365/Office 5568.1000 — updated on September 4, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Office 2016\Security Settings Description
This policy setting restricts VBA to checking project library references only against the registry and trusted zones. By default VBA performs additional checks against library paths to prevent loading references from potentially unsafe locations on the local machine as well. It is recommended that this setting remain 0 or unset to allow for the more secure default behavior. Only enable this setting if the default behavior is causing compatibility issues with critical solutions, and then, only to provide time to migrate the solutions to address the less secure behavior, at which point the setting should be turned off again.
Registry
HKCU
software\policies\microsoft\vba\security Value name: disablestrictvbarefssecurity
Enabled: disablestrictvbarefssecurity = 1
Disabled: disablestrictvbarefssecurity = 0
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Disable additional security checks on VBA library references that may refer to unsafe locations on the local machine
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\vba\security]
"disablestrictvbarefssecurity"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable additional security checks on VBA library references that may refer to unsafe locations on the local machine
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\vba\security'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'disablestrictvbarefssecurity' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
No direct Policy CSP / OMA-URI mapping for this policy. Use the Intune Remediation tab, or ingest the ADMX in Intune.Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable additional security checks on VBA library references that may refer to unsafe locations on the local machine
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\vba\security' -Name 'disablestrictvbarefssecurity' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable additional security checks on VBA library references that may refer to unsafe locations on the local machine
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\vba\security'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'disablestrictvbarefssecurity' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable additional security checks on VBA library references that may refer to unsafe locations on the local machine
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable additional security checks on VBA library references that may refer to unsafe locations on the local machine
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\vba\security' -Name 'disablestrictvbarefssecurity' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Disable additional security checks on VBA library references that may refer to unsafe locations on the local machine
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\vba\security'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'disablestrictvbarefssecurity' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.