WD2000: How to Reduce the Chances of Macro Virus Infection

ID: Q233396

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word 2000

SUMMARY

This article describes ways you can reduce the risk of infecting Microsoft Word and your documents and templates with macro viruses.

MORE INFORMATION

It is recommended that you use one or more of the following methods to help reduce the possibility of macro virus infection.

NOTE: No one method of protection is a 100 percent guarantee that your installation of Microsoft Word will not be affected by a macro virus.

Method 1: Install and update anti-virus software.

For a long-term solution to macro viruses, install anti-virus software that is specifically designed to detect macro viruses. For information about anti-virus software vendors, including software capable of detecting and preventing macro viruses, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q49500 Anti-Virus Software Vendors

NOTE: After you install an anti-virus software program, you must keep it updated to ensure that new macro viruses are detected and removed. For more information about updating your anti-virus software program, please contact your anti-virus software vendor.

Method 2: Set a security level in Microsoft Word.

Microsoft Word offers the following levels of security to reduce the chances that a macro virus will infect your documents, templates, or add-ins.

Security Level

Description

High

You can run only macros that have been digitally signed and that you confirm are from a trusted source. Before trusting a source, you should confirm that the source is responsible and uses a virus scanner before signing macros. Unsigned macros are automatically disabled, and Word opens the document without any warning.

Medium

Word displays a warning whenever it encounters a macro from a source that is not on your list of trusted sources. You can choose whether to enable or disable the macros when you open the document. If the document might contain a virus, you should choose to disable macros.

Low

If you are sure that all the documents and add-ins you open are safe, you can select this option--it turns off macro virus protection in Word. At this security level, macros are always enabled when you open documents.

Use the following steps in Microsoft Word to change the security level:

On the Tools menu, point to Macro and click Security.

On the Security Level tab, select the security level you want and then click OK.

For more information about security levels, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type "security level" in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

Method 3: Lock the global template (Normal.dot).

Use the following steps to lock your global template (Normal.dot) with a password to reduce the possibility of unauthorized access by a macro virus:

On the Tools menu, point to Macro and click Visual Basic Editor.

In the Visual Basic Editor, click to select ThisDocument in the Project window.

NOTE: If the Project window does not appear, click Project Explorer on the View menu.

On the Tools menu, click Project Properties.

On the Protection tab, click to select the Lock project for viewing check box.

Type a password in the Password box.

Type the same password in the Confirm password box.

Click OK.

On the File menu, click Close and return to Microsoft Word.

In Microsoft Word, hold the SHIFT key and click the File menu and then click Save All.

When the following prompt appears, click Yes.

Changes have been made that affect the global template, Normal.dot. Do you want to save those changes?

For more information about locking your VBA project, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type "protection tab" in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

REFERENCES

For additional information about what to do if you think you might have a Word macro virus, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q211800 WD2000: What to Do If You Have a Macro Virus

For additional information about macro viruses, please see the following Web pages on the Microsoft Web site:

Microsoft Office 2000 Macro Security White Paper

http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/

Protect Your Microsoft Office Data from Viruses

http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/articles/antivirus.htm

Additional query words: protect protection protection.doc protecting protects execute only executable


Keywords          : kbdta kbvirus kbtemplate wd2000 
Version           : WINDOWS:2000
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: June 7, 1999

Security Level	Description
High	You can run only macros that have been digitally signed and that you confirm are from a trusted source. Before trusting a source, you should confirm that the source is responsible and uses a virus scanner before signing macros. Unsigned macros are automatically disabled, and Word opens the document without any warning.
Medium	Word displays a warning whenever it encounters a macro from a source that is not on your list of trusted sources. You can choose whether to enable or disable the macros when you open the document. If the document might contain a virus, you should choose to disable macros.
Low	If you are sure that all the documents and add-ins you open are safe, you can select this option--it turns off macro virus protection in Word. At this security level, macros are always enabled when you open documents.