Security settings for macros in Excel

Macros are programs in an excel sheet file. Most of my projects are based on such macros. The entire source code is open (open source). That means if you understand the programming language VBA (or VB.Net), you can read or edit the source code by clicking View -> Macros -> Choose a macro -> Edit.

Macros usually represent a considerable security risk. The most famous example of a virus that distributed over macros is Locky, a virus that encrypted all of your data. To ensure the security of your data, Microsoft offers so called certificates to developers. Once a developer signed his macros with his certificate, the macros are considered safe. However, Microsoft does not offer those certificates to single developers. That’s why you need to do the following steps to be able to execute the exam trainer and all of my other Excel projects:

Excel 2003 or older:

  1. Open the menu ‘Extras’ and click ‘Macros’ > ‘Security’.
  2. Set the security level either to ‘Medium’, if you wish to be asked for permission before macros are executed or to ‘Low’, if you wish to execute all macros without any prompt (not recommended).
  3. Save the settings by clicking ‘OK’
  4. Restart the file you wanted to use.

Excel 2007:

  1. Click the Office Logo in the upper left corner and then ‘Excel-Settings’.
  2. Click ‘Trust Center’ in the next window.
  3. Now click ‘Settings for the trust center…’.
  4. Click on ‘Macro settings’ on the left.
  5. Choose either ‘Deactivate all macros with notification’, if you wish to be asked for permission before macros are executed or choose ‘Activate all macros’, if you wish to execute all macros without any prompt (not recommended).
  6. Save the settings by clicking ‘OK’
  7. Restart the file you wanted to use.

Excel 2013 and later:

  1. Click ‘File’ -> ‘Options’
  2. Next, click ‘Trust Center’ and then ‘Settings for the Trust Center’
  3. Click on ‘Macro settings’ on the left.
  4. Choose either ‘Deactivate all macros with notification’, if you wish to be asked for permission before macros are executed or choose ‘Activate all macros’, if you wish to execute all macros without any prompt (not recommended).
  5. Save the settings by clicking ‘OK’
  6. Restart the file you wanted to use.