Re: Template Security

From: Jezebel (dwarves_at_heaven.com.kr)
Date: 08/03/04 

Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 19:58:56 +1000

It seems perverse to say you'd "not bother" using a password for fear that
you'll forget the password. There are downsides to password-protecting a
template, but assuming we're dealing with a serious intentions, *that* isn't
one of them. If you can't control your passwords then you can't control
*anything* in a multi-user environment.

Of course there are situations in which Word is not appropriate for
controlling "high-risk transactions" -- all of them. As already stated Word
doesn't even begin to provide security to deal with any serious risk.

Your examples omit the most common reason for protecting the template:
namely to hide the code, either to prevent someone stealing it outright, or
to prevent them duplicating it and then running it with modifications.
Write-protecting the file or folder obviously won't help with that.

"Rob Schneider" <rmschne@removetheones_b1e1e1b.net.net> wrote in message
news:Os9TOMSeEHA.236@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> This probably would work, but I guess I would not bother since it runs
> risk of this password being forgotten and then everyone is locked out of
> the template file.
>
> I would recommend you step back and figure out what risk you are
> concerned with and then mitigate that risk.
>
> If you are concerned that someone will change the template so that it it
> is messed up for future users ... then consider protecting the template
> file via the server permissions to ensure users can't write back to the
> source template file.
>
> If you are concerned that someone will change modify the document on
> which the template is based and do something "bad" ... then this a
> different risk. I can imagine where this would be very easy to do no
> matter what permissions/security you put on the template. In certain
> situations I can also imagine where Word would not be the appropriate
> tool for controlling high-risk transactions.
>
> Bottom line: focus on the "what", then work the "how".
>
> Hope this is useful to you. Let us know.
>
> rms
>
>
>
>
> Jezebel wrote:
> > Open the template itself. Switch to VBA. Select the template project in
the
> > Project Explorer window. Go to Tools > Project Properties. Select the
> > Protection tab. Enter a password.
> >
> > Note that this is not brilliant security: it's sufficient to prevent
most
> > unauthorised access, but it is defeatable.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "Scott" <scott.birch@sai-global.com> wrote in message
> > news:9e5101c4790e$8a88ca20$a401280a@phx.gbl...
> >
> >>Hi All,
> >>
> >>Does anyone know of a way in which I can password protect
> >>a template so that it can't be modified by an unauthorised
> >>user?
> >>
> >>I have looked into password protecting the document via
> >>the "password to Modify" switch, but this can be easily
> >>removed by a user and also presents users with a message
> >>box whenever they open a document based on the template.
> >>
> >>It would be preferable if no macros, styles or autotext
> >>could be modified by an unauthorised user.
> >>
> >>Kind Regards,
> >>
> >>Scott
> >
> >
> >

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