Microsoft Word 2016 › Word Options › Security › Trust Center
Dynamic Data Exchange
Supported on SUPPORTED_Windows7 (defined in the Windows templates)
What it does
This policy setting controls the ability to use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) in Word. By default, DDE isn’t allowed in Word. Allowing DDE isn’t recommended because of security concerns. If you enable this policy setting, you can select either of the following options: -Limit Dynamic Data Exchange -Allow Dynamic Data Exchange If you choose “Limit Dynamic Data Exchange,” DDE requests made to an already running program are allowed. But, DDE requests that require another executable program to be launched aren’t allowed. If you disable or don’t configure this policy setting, DDE isn’t allowed.
What it writes
- Hive
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER
- Registry key
software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\security
Why it needs changes for Intune
- Policy references a Windows supportedOn definition.
- ADMX-INTUNE-WINDOWS-SUPPORTEDON-REFERENCE
Security baselines
Microsoft's Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise 2512 configures this, in its GPO “MSFT Microsoft 365 Apps v2512 - DDE Block - User”.
- Dynamic Data Exchange setting
- Deletes the allowdde value, so nothing is set there and the product's own default applies.
Read from the registry.pol files in the baselines' GPO backups, downloaded from Microsoft's Security Compliance Toolkit. All baselines
Options
| Option | Type | Registry value | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamic Data Exchange settingDefault: Limited Dynamic Data Exchange | Drop-down list | allowdde |
|
Configure and deploy
Choose a state and the option values; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.
Enabled · User · template defaults
Registry file (.reg)
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\security]
"allowdde"=dword:00000001
PowerShell
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
function Set-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
}
New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}
function Remove-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return
}
foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Dynamic Data Exchange
# Name: L_AllowDDE
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: word16.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\security' -Name 'allowdde' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1
- The OMA-URI is an inferred ADMX-backed Policy CSP candidate derived from the source ADMX file name and policy name.
- Some Microsoft policies use built-in Policy CSP pages whose area names don't match the ADMX file name, so verify the candidate against Microsoft Learn before deployment.
ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_word16/L_AllowDDEADMX SyncML candidate
<SyncML xmlns="SYNCML:SYNCML1.2">
<SyncBody>
<Replace>
<CmdID>1</CmdID>
<Item>
<Meta>
<Format>chr</Format>
<Type>text/plain</Type>
</Meta>
<Target>
<LocURI>./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_word16/L_AllowDDE</LocURI>
</Target>
<Data><enabled/>
<data id="L_AllowDDEDropID" value="1"/></Data>
</Item>
</Replace>
<Final/>
</SyncBody>
</SyncML>Intune remediation scripts
Detection
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()
function Test-RegistryValueExists {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return $false
}
return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}
function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return $false
}
$valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
return $false
}
$actual = $valueObject.$Name
switch ($Kind) {
'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
'MultiString' {
$actualArray = @($actual)
$expectedArray = @($Expected)
if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
'Binary' {
$actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
$expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
}
}
# Policy: Dynamic Data Exchange
# Name: L_AllowDDE
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: word16.admx
$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\security' -Name 'allowdde' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
$reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\security\allowdde') | Out-Null
}
if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1
Remediation
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
function Set-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
}
New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}
function Remove-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return
}
foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Dynamic Data Exchange
# Name: L_AllowDDE
# Scope: User
# State: Enabled
# Source: word16.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\security' -Name 'allowdde' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1
History 1 retained release
- 5568.100010 Aug 2026
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.
Template
- Internal name
L_AllowDDE- Namespace
word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows- Template file
word16.admx- Release
- Microsoft 365 Apps 5568.1000 · file set
8be05d876aae137d…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy Area="Security Baseline" AreaCategory="DDE" class="User" displayName="$(string.L_AllowDDE)" explainText="$(string.L_AllowDDEExplain)" key="software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\security" name="L_AllowDDE" presentation="$(presentation.L_AllowDDE)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_TrustCenter" />
<supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7" />
<elements>
<enum id="L_AllowDDEDropID" valueName="allowdde">
<item displayName="$(string.L_DDENoAppLaunch)">
<value>
<decimal value="1" />
</value>
</item>
<item displayName="$(string.L_DDEEnabled)">
<value>
<decimal value="2" />
</value>
</item>
</enum>
</elements>
</policy>Editor controls
<presentation id="L_AllowDDE" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<dropdownList defaultItem="0" noSort="true" refId="L_AllowDDEDropID">Dynamic Data Exchange setting</dropdownList>
</presentation>Supported platforms and category
word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_MicrosoftOfficeWord
<category displayName="$(string.L_MicrosoftOfficeWord)" name="L_MicrosoftOfficeWord" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_Security
<category displayName="$(string.L_Security)" name="L_Security" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_WordOptions" />
</category>
word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_TrustCenter
<category displayName="$(string.L_TrustCenter)" name="L_TrustCenter" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Security" />
</category>
word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_WordOptions
<category displayName="$(string.L_WordOptions)" name="L_WordOptions" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficeWord" />
</category>
word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:unresolved:Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7
<unresolved reference="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows7" />
word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_MicrosoftOfficeWord
<category displayName="$(string.L_MicrosoftOfficeWord)" name="L_MicrosoftOfficeWord" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficeWord">Microsoft Word 2016</string></strings>
word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_Security
<category displayName="$(string.L_Security)" name="L_Security" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_WordOptions" />
</category>
<strings><string id="word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Security">Security</string></strings>
word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_TrustCenter
<category displayName="$(string.L_TrustCenter)" name="L_TrustCenter" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_Security" />
</category>
<strings><string id="word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_TrustCenter">Trust Center</string></strings>
word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:L_WordOptions
<category displayName="$(string.L_WordOptions)" name="L_WordOptions" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_MicrosoftOfficeWord" />
</category>
<strings><string id="word16.Office.Microsoft.Policies.Windows:L_WordOptions">Word Options</string></strings>