The automatically update links feature must be disabled.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
medium	V-71087	SRG-APP-000210	DTOO302	SV-85711r1_rule	2016-11-02	1

Description
When users open documents Word automatically updates any links to external content, such as graphics, Excel worksheets, and PowerPoint slides. To disable automatic updating, the user can click the Office Button, click Word Options, click Advanced, scroll to the General section, and then clear the Update automatic links at open check box. If Word is configured to automatically update links when documents are open, document content can change without the user's knowledge, which could put important information at risk.

Description

When users open documents Word automatically updates any links to external content, such as graphics, Excel worksheets, and PowerPoint slides. To disable automatic updating, the user can click the Office Button, click Word Options, click Advanced, scroll to the General section, and then clear the Update automatic links at open check box. If Word is configured to automatically update links when documents are open, document content can change without the user's knowledge, which could put important information at risk.

ℹ️ Check
Verify the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Word 2016 -> Word Options -> Advanced "Update automatic links at Open" is set to "Disabled". Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\word\options Criteria: If the value DontUpdateLinks is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

✔️ Fix
Set the policy value for User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Microsoft Word 2016 -> Word Options -> Advanced "Update automatic links at Open" to "Disabled".