How Do Macros Pose a Cybersecurity Risk? Everything You Need to Know

James’s case is illustrative here. He worked as an accountant for a medium-sized manufacturing company. On a Monday morning, he got what he thought was a standard invoice from one of their trustworthy suppliers.

How do macros pose a cybersecurity risk became painfully clear when James clicked the “Enable Content” button on the spreadsheet without hesitation. By Tuesday afternoon, his company’s entire network was locked down with ransomware, demanding $75,000 in Bitcoin for release. The culprit? Hidden malicious macros embedded in that innocent-looking Excel file.

Stories like James’s are alarmingly common. These macro-based attacks remain one of the most successful methods cybercriminals use to breach company defenses. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about macro security risks and provide practical protection strategies to safeguard your digital assets.

Many frightening cyber stories exist out there, such as the one from James. Macro-based attacks still remain one of the best strategies for breaching company-issued boundaries by cybercriminals. Still, what are macros, and how do macros pose a cybersecurity risk to your company? And even more importantly, what steps can you take to brace yourself safely without additional hindrances while working effectively?

We cover virtually every single aspect of safeguarding assets, planning defenses, and declaring war against sneaking threats without apparent danger, practically clarifying macro security risks and designedable sets of functional protective actions.

What Is a Macro and How Do They Pose Cybersecurity Risks in Microsoft Office

Before we look at risks, we need to grasp what macros are and their evolution. 

As stated earlier, macros are tiny programs or subroutines incorporated in a document, for example, Microsoft Office. Macros are very useful as they aid in the completion of repetitive tasks by automating them, allowing greater productivity, which is the initial purpose they were designed. 

Macros are of great use in the business ecosystem. For instance, if one works with Excel and has to format a financial report frequently, there is a continual, time-consuming, and error-prone process per click process. However, if a macro is created, it could perform all those formatting steps with just one click.

These automation scripts are written in a programming language called Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), and they’re stored within special versions of Office documents that have an m in their file extension:

• .docm (Word)
• .xlsm (Excel)
• .pptm (PowerPoint)

Sarah from TechSecure explains: “Macros themselves aren’t inherently malicious – they’re like power tools. When wielded properly, they are very advantageous. However, misused, they can bring about disastrous consequences.”

Are All Macros Malicious or Just Misunderstood?

Macros aren’t all inherently harmful. The majority of macros are legitimately crafted to enhance efficiency and fully automate processes. Nevertheless, the sheer power and prevalence of such tools enable cybercriminals to target them as exploitable attack vectors.

Legitimate macros are typically:

• Created internally within an organization
• Properly signed with digital certificates
• Stored in secure, trusted locations
• Used for specific, well-defined business processes

As opposed to the technology itself, the core problem lies in the ease and efficiency with which malicious actors can exploit it to perpetrate breaches against an organization’s security parameters.

How Do Macros Pose a Cybersecurity Risk: The Perfect Trojan Horse

Let’s analyze why these productivity tools, which at first glance seem to be harmless, have turned into one of the cybersecurity world’s most stubborn issues.

System-Level Access: The Root of the Problem

The fundamental reason macros pose a cybersecurity risk is simple. When you enable a macro, you’re giving that document permission to run code on your computer with the same level of access you have.

This means a macro can:

• Create, modify, or delete files on your system
• Access sensitive information like passwords or customer data
• Change system settings or disable security features
• Download and install additional malware
• Communicate with external servers controlled by attackers
• Spread to other computers on your network

Consider that opening a regular document is analogous to allowing a visitor to peruse pictures within your house’s living room. Granting access to a macro, on the other hand, would allow the host to easily unlock all doors within your household, ranging from the in-house prized possessions to the valuables kept in vaults.

How Attackers Use Macros to Target Organizations

Macro-based attacks are dangerous because they leverage human psychology and established business workflows. Consider these factors that make them so effective:

1. They hide in familiar, trusted document types. Unlike suspicious executable files that might trigger immediate concern, macro-enabled documents look like the regular business files we work with daily.
2. They exploit established business processes. Many organizations exchange documents like invoices, purchase orders, resumes, and reports, creating a perfect camouflage for macro-based threats.
3. They use social engineering to bypass security. Most macro attacks don’t rely on technical exploits to succeed. Instead, they simply ask the user to click “Enable Content” – often with convincing messages like “Document protected” or “Click to view full content.”

As Michael, one of the Cybersecurity Analysts at DefendWise, notes, “The genius of macro-based attacks is that they don’t need to hack your computer; they just need to hack your mind.”

How Do Macros Pose A Cybersecurity Risk? Detection Patterns

To analyze the extent how macros pose a cybersecurity risk, examine the steps of an attack below:

1. Delivery: A corporate worker receives an email containing an attachment they presume is an invoice, resume, or other business document. 
2. First Contact: Upon opening the document, users are presented with empty segments followed by prompts instructing them to “Enable Editing” or “Enable Content.” 
3. The Critical Moment: Clicking on the hidden “Enable Content” brings macro code execution.  
4. Stealth Operation: Unlike traditional macro malware, today’s variants operate quietly, delivering content devoid of the document content needed for obfuscation. While this content displays legitimacy, macros work invisibly. 
5. Payload Delivery: The malware that gets installed ranges from ransomware to keylogger, a remote access trojan, and other evil software. 
6. Persistence: Subtle changes to system shell features enable continued functionality of the document and its embedded malware, which means that the malware survives the closure of the file or rebooting the device, further guaranteeing uninterrupted operation. 
7. Lateral Movement: Infection can transition between computers in a network, turning the infrastructure into a cyber hazard for the organization.

The most alarming part? This entire sequence can unfold in seconds, with no visible signs of an attack until it’s too late.

PowerShell and Malware Delivery Through Macros

A widely used approach to contemporary macro-based attacks is the running of PowerShell commands. PowerShell is a potent scripting language integrated into Windows, and it enables considerable control over system resources.

When a malicious macro runs, it often executes PowerShell commands that:

1. Download additional payloads from attacker-controlled servers
2. Modify system settings to disable security features
3. Create persistence mechanisms to survive reboots
4. Exfiltrate sensitive data from the infected system

The combination of Office macros and PowerShell creates a particularly dangerous attack vector because:

• Both are legitimate tools used in business environments
• The execution chain (Office → PowerShell) doesn’t immediately trigger suspicion
• PowerShell commands can be made overly convoluted in order to avoid being flagged

PowerShell has seen a troubling rise in attacks that exploit both macros and PowerShell. Consequently, this development poses a nightmare scenario for businesses, irrespective of scale.

How Do Macros Pose A Cybersecurity Risk? Real-World Examples

While statistics and explanations help illustrate how macros pose a cybersecurity risk, nothing drives the point home like real-world examples.

The NotPetya Catastrophe

An accounting software update in Ukraine, in 2017, got a macro-enabled document for Ukrainian firms that later on turned into a global spread costing more than £10 billion. The NotPetya attack engulfed many international businesses, such as Maersk, Merck, and Mondelez, and caused a tremendous amount of harm. 

This infectious, malicious macro came along with an unintended update of software, unleashing ransomware that columnically encrypted any data detrimental to the software’s functioning.

Emotet: The Banking Trojan That Evolved

The Emotet malware started as a tool to steal banking information, but now it is considered one of the most advanced and dangerous malware distribution systems to date; its primary means of infection is still through handing out macro-enabled documents.

A typical Emotet attack arrived via email with a macro-enabled Word document. Once enabled, the macro would download the Emotet payload, which would then:

• Steal passwords and banking information
• Extract email contacts to spread further
• Download additional malware like TrickBot or Ryuk ransomware

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security estimated that each Emotet infection costs organizations approximately $1 million to remediate.

Small Business Devastation

Large corporations aren’t the only victims. In 2023, a regional law firm with 23 employees received what appeared to be a resume from a job applicant. When the HR manager opened the attached Word document and enabled macros, ransomware quickly encrypted the firm’s entire document management system, including all client files.

Without proper backups in place, the firm had to pay a $50,000 ransom and still lost three days of work. “We nearly went out of business,” the managing partner later admitted. “All because of one click.”

Types of Files and Documents Vulnerable to Macro Attacks

Knowing which constituent files can hold macros is important from the perspective of defending your organization. These are the basic file types that warrant the greatest concern:

Microsoft Office Documents

• Word Documents (.docm) – Macro-enabled Word files
• Excel Spreadsheets (.xlsm) – Macro-enabled Excel workbooks
• PowerPoint Presentations (.pptm) – Macro-enabled PowerPoint slides
• Access Databases (.accdb) – Can contain VBA code
• Excel Add-ins (.xlam) – Excel extensions that often contain macros

Other Risky File Types

While not macro-enabled per se, these file types are often used in conjunction with macro attacks:

• ZIP/RAR Files – Often used to bypass email security by hiding macro-enabled documents
• ISO Files – Can bypass Mark of the Web protections
• LNK Files – Windows shortcuts that can execute commands

Exercise caution with the following file types, especially when they originate from untrusted sources or unexpected emails.

How Phishing and External Sources Spread Macro Malware

Emails continue to be the most common method of delivery for macro attacks. In setting up phishing techniques, cybercriminals use advanced social engineering methods, which result in users opening harmful attachments and enabling macros.

Common Phishing Tactics

Attackers craft emails that appear to come from trusted sources, such as:

• Financial institutions requesting confirmation of transactions
• Shipping companies with delivery notifications
• Job applicants sending resumes
• Vendors sending invoices or quotes
• Colleagues sharing documents for review

Such emails can issue demands of urgent significance, which attempt to trigger readers to access files without due diligence.

The Role of Social Engineering

The success of macro attacks depends heavily on social engineering – manipulating users psychologically rather than exploiting technical vulnerabilities. Common techniques include:

• Authority – Emails appearing to come from executives or authority figures
• Urgency – Creating time pressure to force quick, careless actions
• Fear – Threatening negative consequences for inaction
• Curiosity – Baiting users with intriguing content that requires enabling macros

Organizations can focus the training of employees aimed at recognizing and resisting phishing attempts containing malicious macros on phishing recognition and resistance tactics, understanding how these tactics would play out.

What Is a Built-in Protection Against Macro Threats?

Microsoft has put in place numerous protective strategies to defend its users against macro-based cyber threats. It is important to grasp these protective measures in order to properly balance security without hindering the genuine use of macros when needed.

Protected View

Protected View is a security feature that opens documents from potentially harmful sources, such as the Internet or email attachments, in a contained environment devoid of macros and other executable code.

Upon entering Protected View, documents display a yellow message bar alongside an ‘Enable Editing’ button. By clicking this, it forcibly exits Protected View; however, macros cannot function unless allowed at a later time.

Block Macros from the Internet

Modern versions of Office include a security feature that blocks macros in files from the Internet by default. This feature:

• Identifies files downloaded from the Internet using the “Mark of the Web” attribute
• Displays a red message bar instead of the usual security warning
• This prevents users from enabling macros in these files, even with a click

This protection significantly reduces the risk of macro-based attacks from external sources.

Macro Security Settings

Office applications allow administrators to configure macro security settings according to organizational needs. The options include:

• Turn off all macros without notification (highest security)
• Turn off all macros with notification (allows user choice)
• Disable all macros except digitally signed macros (moderate security)
• Enable all macros (not recommended)

These settings can be configured through Group Policy for enterprise-wide control.

How Do Macros Pose A Cybersecurity Risk to Business Prevention Methods

Building off the prior discussion detailing how macros pose a cybersecurity risk, let us now shift to particular defensive strategies. In following these steps, mitigation of macro threats can be achieved without sacrificing productivity.

1. Disable Macros by Default

The most effective protection against macro-based attacks is to disable macros by default across your organization.

How to do it:

• For newer versions of Office (2016 and later), Microsoft has implemented Block Macros from the Internet by default
• For additional protection, use Group Policy to configure macro settings:
  • Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Office > Security Settings
  • Set “Block macros from running in Office files from the Internet” to Enabled
  • Consider “Disable all macros without notification” for high-security environments

2. Implement Macro Whitelisting for Legitimate Business Needs

If your business relies on macros for legitimate purposes, consider implementing a macro whitelisting approach:

1. Create a digital signature process
   • Establish an internal certificate authority
   • Use it to digitally sign approved macros
   • Configure Office to only run signed macros from trusted publishers
2. Designate safe locations
   • Configure “Trusted Locations” in Office Trust Center
   • Store legitimate macro-enabled documents only in these locations
   • Apply strict access controls to these locations

3. User Training and Awareness

Technology alone can’t protect your organization if users don’t understand the risks. Develop a comprehensive security awareness program that includes:

• Specific training on macro threats
  • How to identify suspicious documents
  • Why should they never enable macros in unexpected documents
  • Proper procedures for handling documents from external sources
• Simulated phishing exercises
  • Send realistic but safe macro-enabled documents to test employee responses
  • Provide immediate feedback and additional training for those who enable macros

Alex, a cybersecurity trainer with SecureMinds, notes: “Our client reduced macro-based attacks by 92% after implementing regular security awareness training with simulated phishing tests. Education truly is the best defense.”

Find Alternatives to Reduce Micro Cybersecurity Risks In Your Organization

If your organization relies heavily on macros for business processes, consider exploring safer alternatives that provide similar functionality with lower security risks.

Power Automate (Formerly Flow)

Microsoft Power Automate offers a secure, cloud-based automation platform that can replace many traditional VBA macros. Benefits include:

• No code execution on local machines
• Centralized management and oversight
• Integration with Microsoft 365 security controls
• Reduced risk of malicious modifications

Low-Code Development Platforms

Consider using low-code platforms to create custom applications that replace macro-dependent processes:

• Microsoft Power Apps
• Airtable
• AppSheet

These platforms allow you to build business applications with minimal coding while maintaining strong security controls.

Custom Add-ins and Extensions

With the use of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, modern office applications can now be enhanced with the integration of add-ins. These offer several security advantages over traditional VBA macros:

• Run in a sandboxed environment
• Subject to stricter permission controls
• Can be centrally deployed and managed
• Updates can be pushed automatically

By transitioning from VBA macros to these more modern alternatives, organizations can maintain productivity while significantly reducing their attack surface.

Which Document Name Indicates No Macros Are Present?

Understanding file extensions is a simple yet effective way to identify potentially risky documents. Microsoft Office uses different file extensions to indicate whether a document can contain macros:

Safe File Extensions (No Macro Capability)

• .docx – Word documents without macros
• .xlsx – Excel workbooks without macros
• .pptx – PowerPoint presentations without macros
• .xlsb – Excel binary workbooks (cannot contain VBA macros)

Risky File Extensions (Can Contain Macros)

• .docm – Word documents with macros
• .xlsm – Excel workbooks with macros
• .pptm – PowerPoint presentations with macros
• .dotm – Word templates with macros
• .xltm – Macros-enabled Excel Templates

Educational training directed at a user’s awareness regarding file extension specifics, such as paying attention to them before they open attachments, can relieve a number of issues stemming from macro-based attacks.

If you receive a file with an unusual file extension (most notably from external parties), do not open it but send it straight to your IT security team for further investigation.

Understanding How Do Macros Pose A Cybersecurity Risk for Enterprise Compliance

As part of their strategic cybersecurity and compliance frameworks, enterprise organizations should deploy holistic security policies that protect against macro-based threats.

Technical Controls

• Application Control solutions like Microsoft AppLocker or similar technologies can prevent unauthorized scripts and applications from running.
• Advanced Endpoint Protection with behavioral analysis capabilities can detect and block suspicious macro behavior.
• Network Segmentation limits lateral movement following a successful breach.
• Email Security Gateways with advanced attachment scanning capabilities block malicious macros before they reach users.

Policy and Governance

• Establish clear policies regarding macro use and document handling.
• Document approval processes for any macro-enabled files used in the organization
• Regular security audits to identify potential vulnerabilities
• Incident response planning specifically addresses macro-based attacks.

Compliance Considerations

Many regulatory frameworks require controls that can help prevent macro-based attacks:

• NIST Cybersecurity Framework – Controls relating to protective technology and security awareness
• PCI DSS – Requirements for secure systems and applications
• HIPAA – Technical safeguards for protected health information
• ISO 27001 – Controls for malware protection and user awareness

By aligning macro security measures with broader compliance requirements, organizations can efficiently protect against these threats while meeting their regulatory obligations.

It Is Best To Keep Macros Disabled Unless Necessary – Best Practices

The safest approach to macro security is to turn off macros by default and only enable them when necessary. Here are the best practices for managing macros in your organization:

For IT Administrators

1. Implement the principle of least privilege
   • Users should have the minimum access needed to perform their jobs
   • Standard users should not have the right to modify security settings
2. Use Group Policy to enforce macro settings
   • Configure macro security settings centrally
   • Prevent users from changing these settings
   • Regularly audit compliance with security policies
3. Monitor for suspicious macro activity
   • Deploy tools that detect unusual Office behavior
   • Watch for unexpected PowerShell execution from Office applications
   • Set up alerts for potential macro-based attacks

For End Users

1. Never enable macros in documents from external sources
   • If you receive a document that requires enabling macros, verify its legitimacy through alternate channels
   • Contact the sender directly (not by replying to the email) to confirm they sent the document
2. Be suspicious of documents requesting that you enable macros
   • Legitimate business documents rarely require macros to view content
   • Be especially wary of messages creating urgency or fear
3. Report suspicious documents
   • Don’t try to investigate yourself
   • Forward suspicious documents to your IT security team without opening them

By following these best practices, organizations can significantly reduce their exposure to macro-based threats while allowing legitimate macro use when necessary.

Rogue Logics and Cybersecurity Services for Complete Protection

For entities that need holistic shielding from macro-based threats, professional cybersecurity services can offer relevant knowledge and solutions.

Benefits of Professional Cybersecurity Services

• Threat intelligence specific to macro-based attack trends
• Advanced detection capabilities beyond standard security tools
• Incident response expertise for rapid containment and remediation
• Security awareness training tailored to your organization’s needs

Leading Providers

Several reputable companies offer specialized services to protect against macro-based attacks:

• Palo Alto Networks provides comprehensive security platforms that can detect and block malicious macros.
• Fortinet offers integrated security solutions that protect against multiple attack vectors, including macro-based threats.
• Rogue Logics specializes in identifying and neutralizing macro-based threats before they can cause damage.

When evaluating cybersecurity service providers, look for those with specific expertise in Office security and macro-based attack prevention.

Conclusion: Taking Action Against Macro Risks

Risks associated with macro-based cybersecurity risks perpetrate one of the most pervasive forms of contemporary digital attacks. Their effectiveness stems from a perfect storm of technical capability and psychological manipulation.

Nevertheless, with the appropriate security measures and an understanding of how macros pose a cybersecurity risk, your risk exposure can be markedly lowered, causing significant reprisal to these threats.

Remember James from our opening story? After recovering from their ransomware incident (at considerable expense), his company implemented comprehensive macro security measures and regular training. Six months later, when another macro-based attack targeted their finance department, their new defenses detected and blocked it before any damage occurred.

Don’t wait for a breach to take action. Evaluate your current macro security policies today, and take steps to protect your critical business assets from this persistent threat.

Ready to Secure Your Business Against Macro-Based Threats?

At CyberShield Solutions, our proficiencies lie in protecting businesses, irrespective of their sizes, from macro-based attacks, assaults, and other cyber threats. Our comprehensive security suite includes:

• Email protection with advanced macro scanning and sandboxing
• Security awareness training tailored to your industry
• Endpoint protection with behavioral analysis to catch macro-based malware
• 24/7 monitoring and response by our security operations center