The Risk of Office Macros
Microsoft Office macros are still widely used for business-critical processes – and just as widely exploited by attackers.
Macros execute with the same permissions as the user, and in many cases can even escalate privileges further. This makes them an attractive entry point for ransomware, phishing, and targeted intrusions.
Unlike regular software, Office documents are opened without hesitation, and enabling macros is often just a click away. Social engineering makes this trivial: attackers simply embed instructions directly in the email or document.
For administrators, defending against malicious macros is difficult. Traditional controls like application whitelisting don’t apply, and malware scanners can never catch them all.
Why it matters
Implement Macro Signing to Create Secure End User Policies
Digitally signing your organization’s macros will unlock the policy capabilities of Microsoft Office:
Use group policies to allow execution only for macros signed with trusted certificates
Assign trusted certificates to users and groups
For IT Admins
Centralize macro signing across departments
Define who can sign, and under what conditions
Stay in control without becoming the bottleneck
For Power Users
Get your Office macros signed safely
No security workarounds, no manual cert handling
Submit your files for signing with just a few clicks
For Security & Compliance
Make macro signing a traceable, auditable process
Reduce risk without disrupting workflows
Support macro usage without compromising security posture
