Why does MS Word open files in “Protected Mode”? Like is there really any threat for a “Protected Mode” to be needed?

Question

Why does MS Word open files in “Protected Mode”? Like is there really any threat for a “Protected Mode” to be needed?

In: 24

Answer 1

Yes,

Word, Excel documents etc have a history of being used as a Trojan horse kind of attack.

You open up the file and most often the virus or other malicious code in it takes advantage of an exploit in the software. It injects the code into a crack in the software and infects the rest of the computer.

Some that can’t get pass the program will scan or send copies of other documents open into the internet. Hoping you have some kind of useful document open etc.