Comments on: Password Protect Microsoft Office 2003 Documents http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/ Groovy Technical and How To Articles for New and Advanced Computer Users Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:05:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: MrGroove http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-1625 MrGroove Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:32:40 +0000 http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-1625 @James - Thanks for the feedback! I've updated the document to note the exception. BTW - Please remember, if you are using the default encryption the password can be cracked very easily using several off-the-shelf products. You really should consider using the encryption algorithm I recommend in the Article. Thanks again! @James - Thanks for the feedback! I’ve updated the document to note the exception.

BTW - Please remember, if you are using the default encryption the password can be cracked very easily using several off-the-shelf products. You really should consider using the encryption algorithm I recommend in the Article.

Thanks again!

]]> By: James http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-1621 James Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:10:45 +0000 http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-1621 I just setup a password on a word 2003 document. it is 18 characters long. I used the default encryption ( i did not change anything). The password does not take... i created another test document using the same password, and it does not take. If i only use a 15 character password, it is good to go. After testing... the password field is concatinated to 15 characters, but microsoft does not warn you if you use a longer password. Just thought your readers should be warned. I just setup a password on a word 2003 document. it is 18 characters long. I used the default encryption ( i did not change anything). The password does not take… i created another test document using the same password, and it does not take. If i only use a 15 character password, it is good to go. After testing… the password field is concatinated to 15 characters, but microsoft does not warn you if you use a longer password. Just thought your readers should be warned.

]]> By: Password Protect Microsoft Office 2007 Documents :: groovyPost.com http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-1201 Password Protect Microsoft Office 2007 Documents :: groovyPost.com Tue, 01 Jul 2008 05:34:52 +0000 http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-1201 [...] much of this functionality was available in the Microsoft Office 2003 Suite, Microsoft decided to change things around a bit with their new menu [...] [...] much of this functionality was available in the Microsoft Office 2003 Suite, Microsoft decided to change things around a bit with their new menu [...]

]]> By: MrGroove http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-606 MrGroove Sat, 23 Feb 2008 16:45:04 +0000 http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-606 @ Alex Lee Hi Alex and Welcome to the site! In regards to the strength of encryption for Word and Excel 2003 and 2007, if you follow my instructions above regarding the encryption "type" and you use a strong password, the encryption is very strong. Please remember, the key is the password. If you use a dictionary word like happy or december or automobile... the password will be broken in a matter of minutes. If you use a password like: ! l@v3 @ppl3S (special case, spaces between words, numbers, letters) it will be VERY difficult for a NON-NSA type person to crack the encryption and open your document. Trust me, I've tried on a 16 way server and after 2 weeks, I aborted the brute force attack. The key is [strong]Encryption Type (RSA/AES), Password Complexity and Password Length.[/strong] @ Alex Lee
Hi Alex and Welcome to the site!

In regards to the strength of encryption for Word and Excel 2003 and 2007, if you follow my instructions above regarding the encryption “type” and you use a strong password, the encryption is very strong. Please remember, the key is the password. If you use a dictionary word like happy or december or automobile… the password will be broken in a matter of minutes. If you use a password like: ! l@v3 @ppl3S (special case, spaces between words, numbers, letters) it will be VERY difficult for a NON-NSA type person to crack the encryption and open your document. Trust me, I’ve tried on a 16 way server and after 2 weeks, I aborted the brute force attack. The key is [strong]Encryption Type (RSA/AES), Password Complexity and Password Length.[/strong]

]]> By: MrGroove http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-605 MrGroove Sat, 23 Feb 2008 16:38:38 +0000 http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-605 @ Adm Support Excellent! I'll update the article with the included information. Thank again for the added info! @ Adm Support
Excellent! I’ll update the article with the included information. Thank again for the added info!

]]> By: Alex Lee http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-603 Alex Lee Sat, 23 Feb 2008 03:46:39 +0000 http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-603 Is MS Word encryption really secure ? Someone claimed that even when good password protection and strong password are used, MS Word encryption can be cracked in 1-2 days. Is that really true ? Is MS Word encryption really secure ?
Someone claimed that even when good password protection and strong password are used, MS Word encryption can be cracked in 1-2 days. Is that really true ?

]]> By: Adm Support http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-576 Adm Support Tue, 19 Feb 2008 03:38:36 +0000 http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-576 @ MrGroove You are welcome. The dialogue box should be self-explanatory (see: picture 3 in the article), however it worths mention it to users (my experience). Here is the link to the Microsoft (KB)http://support.microsoft.com/kb/294414. I agree, it is not fun to read. Glad if I could help. @ MrGroove
You are welcome. The dialogue box should be self-explanatory (see: picture 3 in the article), however it worths mention it to users (my experience). Here is the link to the Microsoft (KB)http://support.microsoft.com/kb/294414. I agree, it is not fun to read.

Glad if I could help.

]]> By: MrGroove http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-571 MrGroove Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:18:41 +0000 http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-571 @ ADM Support Thank you for the feedback and Welcome to the Site! I appreciate the tip being that I don't have an old copy of Office 97 or 2000 installed curretly. Looks like I'll have to go back and find an old copy to test this out on! Thanks again! @ ADM Support
Thank you for the feedback and Welcome to the Site! I appreciate the tip being that I don’t have an old copy of Office 97 or 2000 installed curretly. Looks like I’ll have to go back and find an old copy to test this out on!

Thanks again!

]]> By: Adm Support http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-569 Adm Support Mon, 18 Feb 2008 06:28:19 +0000 http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/office/password-protect-microsoft-office-2003-documents/#comment-569 Your acticle is well done, however, could you mention the backward encryption compatibilty with the previous editions of Office. If someone encypts a document following your article and sends it to a collaborator using an older version of Office (97, 2000) The document will remain encrypted. Your acticle is well done, however, could you mention the backward encryption compatibilty with the previous editions of Office. If someone encypts a document following your article and sends it to a collaborator using an older version of Office (97, 2000) The document will remain encrypted.

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