Macro Security for Microsoft Office
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Why macros are a threat, and the approaches you can take to protect your systems.
Adapted edition
- Document type
- Reference Guide
- Format
- DOCX
- Pages
- 7
- Language
- English
- Version
- 1.0
- Updated
- 2026-09-16
- Category
- Information security
- Licence
- Open Government Licence v3.0
Description
Why macros are a threat, and the approaches you can take to protect your systems for organisational planning, review and training. NCSC guidance is advisory and should be applied to the organisation's own risks and obligations.
Contents
- What are macros, and why are they a problem?
- Protecting your systems from malicious macros
- 1. Disable macros where they're not used
- 2. Reduce your dependency on macros
- 3. Disable high-risk macro capabilities
- Windows
- macOS
- 4. Use an anti-malware product to detect malicious behaviour in macros
- 5. Disable macros unless they are in trusted files
- 6. Block macros from the internet
- Configuration options
- Comparison of Microsoft Office versions
- Source links
Source and licence
National Cyber Security Centre
AttributionNational Cyber Security Centre, “Macro Security for Microsoft Office” (21 February 2019), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
ChangesAdapted 16 September 2026: converted the official HTML article into neutral text-only DOCX and PDF editions. Preserved article headings, paragraphs, lists and plain-text source-link destinations; normalized web whitespace and typographic punctuation; omitted site navigation, topic and download cards, images, logos, scripts, styles and page furniture.
Version history
- v1.016/09/2026