What is Microsoft Word's macro virus protection tool, and how do I activate it?

Microsoft Word documents can use macros, which can potentially carry macro viruses. To minimize this possibility, activate the built-in macro protection tool by following the instructions appropriate to your version of Word.

Word 2007

Word 2007 uses a feature called the Trust Center to manage macro security settings. To change your macro security settings:

1. From the Office Button menu, select Word Options.
   
   
2. Click Trust Center, and then click the Trust Center Settings button. A new page will open.
   
   
3. Click Macro Settings on the left, and then select from the following security levels:
   
   
   • Disable all macros without notification will allow only macros installed in trusted locations to run. Any other macros, signed or unsigned, will be disabled.
   • Disable all macros with notification will prompt you to choose whether or not a macro can run.
   • Disable all macros except digitally signed macros allows macros signed by trusted publishers to run automatically, prompts you for signed macros from other publishers, and prevents unsigned macros from running.
   • Enable all macros allows all macros to run. UITS does not recommend this setting, because it allows potentially dangerous code to run without warning.

For more information about the Trust Center and macro security in Office 2007, see Enable or disable macros in Office documents at Microsoft Office Online.

Word 2000, 2002, and 2003

When activated, the macro protection tool in Word 2000, 2002 (the word processing application in Office XP), and 2003 will allow you to configure Word macro behavior. To activate the tool:

1. From the Tools menu, select Macro, and then Security... .
   
   
2. In the resulting window, click the Security Level tab.
   
   
3. Choose one of the following security levels:
   
   
   • Select Very High to allow only macros installed in trusted locations to run. Any other macros, signed or unsigned, are disabled. (This setting is available only in Word 2003.)
   • Select High to allow only signed macros to run.
   • Select Medium to be prompted to run macros.
   • Select Low to run all macros.

Now, with the tool activated, if you load a suspect file, Word will warn you that the document contains macros and will ask you what to do about them. You can select Disable Macros to avoid infection from a file containing a macro virus.

Note: If you close the file and reopen it, or if you open an additional file with macros, you will get the same warning, and you must select Disable Macros again.

Word 98 and 2001 for Mac OS, and v.X, 2004, and 2008 for Mac OS X

When enabled, the Word macro virus protection tool will display a warning message when you attempt to open a file with embedded macros. The alert will allow you to select whether or not to open the document, or to open it with macros disabled. Disabling macros is a good idea unless you have been notified that the document has macros and you are aware of their function.

Note: If you close a file and reopen it, or if you open an additional file with macros, you will get the same warning, and you must select Disable Macros again.

To enable the virus protection tool:

1. From the Word menu in Word v.X, 2004, or 2008, the Edit menu in 2001, or the Tools menu in 98, select Preferences... .

   Note: You must have a document open for Preferences... to show up as an option.

2. In Word 2004, click Security, and then check the box for Warn before opening a file that contains macros. For other versions, click General, and then check the box for Macro Virus Protection.
   
   
3. Click OK to exit.

Word 97

When activated, the Word 97 macro virus protection tool will display a warning message when you open a file with macros that could contain a virus. To activate the tool, open Word 97 and, from the Tools menu, select Options... . Click the General tab, and then select the Macro virus protection box.

If you load a suspect file with this option enabled, Word 97 will warn you that the document contains macros and will ask you how to them. When that happens, click the Disable Macros button. If the file contains a macro virus, you will be able to open it without harm.

Note: If you close the file and reopen it, or if you open an additional file with macros, you will get the same warning, and must select Disable Macros again.

Also see:

• What are computer viruses, and where can I find more information?
• What is Symantec/Norton AntiVirus software, and where can I get it?