Security issues for distributing template (2000/XP)

[robertoluna]

Hi all -

I tested my new template today at my client's site, and she had her security settings set to High, so the macros didn't run. I temporarily changed her setting to Medium, and of course got the Enable Macros prompt. This template will only be installed on a handful of machines, but these folks are pretty basic PC and Word users. I'll need the installation to be foolproof, or I'll need to provide simple instructions. What are my options?

In the old days, if a .dot file was stored in the User Templates folder, it was considered trusted. Is that the case in XP? If not, it seems that my options are:
- tell them all to switch to Medium settings and get used to enabling macros every time they open a document based on the template
- purchase a certificate from Verisign so that the template project is trusted

Can anyone enlighten me? Thanks!

Bob

[Andrew Cronnolly]

On a target machine, from Word itself, goto Tools, Macros and select Security, click on the Trusted Sources tab and see if a checkbox marked Trust all AddIns and Templates is checked. If not check kit and see if it helps.

Also consider using a Digital Signatuure, which you can create using SelfCert, which is a utility that comes with Office. You may need to install it if it is not avallable in your Office subfolder. For more info see this MSDN Article

Andrew C

[pieterse]

AFAIK a sig created with selfcert does not qualify as a trusted source for Office XP: one cannot tell XP to start trusting such projects with the same sig. It does for 2000.

[Gary Frieder]

Bob,

I haven't installed any XP-based templates at commercial sites, but just based on playing around with Word 2002 on my own machine, it still works the same as it did with Word 2000: If macro security is set to Medium, and the template is installed in either the User Templates or Workgroup Templates folder, then the user will not see the macro warning.

So I think the basic instructions for Word 2002 users are:
- Change macro security to Medium
- Install the templates to a designated directory
- Via Tools > Options > File Locations, point the User Templates or Workgroup Templates setting to that location.

I've heard in passing that some clients are requiring digitally-signed templates for their networks, but that's not strictly necessary in order to avoid the macro warning.

Gary