Re: How Safe is the Excel Password functionality?

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Wow! Okay, um, don't tell my users. It looks like I've got some work to do.

thanks again,

- Rm

"Tom Ogilvy" wrote:

> The problem is that password protection is to provide assistance in keeping
> a work*** from getting messed up or to prevent the user from adding,
> deleting or unhiding sheets - but more as a convenience than to offer any
> real protection. You can get code here for free that will quickly defeat
> both of these levels of protection.
>
> See a description of this protection at
> http://www.mcgimpsey.com/excel/removepwords.html
>
> File protection can be hacked with a commercial product such as that at
> http://www.lostpassword.com. Same for VBA. Of course file level protection
> is useless in your case because you have to let the user have access to the
> workbook. then you are back to *** and book level protection.
>
> If you look at the lostpassword site, you will see they have products for
> almost all office applications.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Tom Ogilvy
>
>
> "Robert Mulroney" <''''robert.mulroney@xxxxxxxxx''''> wrote in message
> news:0824F916-4416-45A2-98ED-C73BEBD72D91@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > What's the nature of the problem? Is it just that there is no limit to the
> > number of attempts that you can have at the password? ie. break the
> password
> > with brute force?
> >
> > Is there some Microsoft explaination of how this happend, I need to know
> so
> > that I can put a proposal together.
> >
> > thanks for you help,
> >
> > - Rm
> >
> > "Tom Ogilvy" wrote:
> >
> > > Highly vulnerable.
> > >
> > > Sensitive information should be placed in perhaps a compiled dll.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Regards,
> > > Tom Ogilvy
> > >
> > > "Robert Mulroney" <''''robert.mulroney@xxxxxxxxx''''> wrote in message
> > > news:18488ADD-F1AA-43E4-982E-F6270B81DEB1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > I have noticed a lot of tools on the web that claim to be able to
> "crack"
> > > > passwords to excel and other office tools. Parts of the system that I
> help
> > > to
> > > > develop depends on excel file passwords to protect sensitive
> information
> > > and
> > > > code. What's the nature of the vulnerability? Has anyone found a work
> > > around
> > > > yet?
> > > >
> > > > - Rm
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>
.

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