Quote:
Originally Posted by Italophile
Your antivirus was not objecting to your ribbon modification. It is objecting to the presence of the VBA code. Macros have been used for malicious code for a very long time.
Antivirus software can't tell the difference between malicious code and safe code.
There is no secure way of writing or distributing VBA code. The best you can do is sign your code with a code signing certificate.
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Thank you for highlighting the VBA security aspect. However, this raises an even more concerning architectural security question:
If Microsoft Office applications weren't originally designed for end-user ribbon modifications, aren't we potentially creating security vulnerabilities by manipulating the UI architecture? Several security considerations come to mind:
Architectural Concerns:
- The ribbon represents the primary interface layer with Office applications
- Modifications could potentially create unexpected entry points
- Custom XML parsing might be vulnerable to injection attacks
- System integrity could be compromised through UI manipulation
Security Model Questions:
- Does Microsoft officially support/secure custom ribbon modifications?
- What validation exists for custom UI definitions?
- How are ribbon customizations isolated from core application functions?
- What prevents malicious code from hijacking custom UI elements?
Enterprise Security Implications:
- Custom ribbons could bypass security policies
- UI modifications might interfere with security controls
- Potential for social engineering through modified interfaces
- Risk of unauthorized system access through custom UI handlers
- Would security experts recommend against any ribbon modifications in sensitive enterprise environments? How can organizations validate that ribbon customizations don't create security vulnerabilities?