Word Document Password

[mcp6453]

I have a Word document that is password protected. It is possible that
the password is because of a corrupt document because I never use
document passwords in Word.

One of the most popular programs for finding a document password is
Rixler's Office Multi-Document Password Cracker. However, I have a
concern about the safety of the software because it appears to phone
home when it is working:

"The search for a decryption key is done on the online document
decryption server, while the actual decryption is executed on your
computer. This technology provides maximum security to the owner of the
document as the latter remains on the computer and is not sent anywhere."

The major concern is whether the program uploads any document
information to Rixler. A Google search has not revealed any warnings
about the use of the software. Since I'm not familiar with this company,
and since they have been recommend in Microsoft newsgroups before, I
thought I would ask. They have been around a while, and I would assume
that they would not last if they are grabbing confidential information.

The document is not particularly valuable, but it does contain some
confidential information.

 

[Graham Mayor]

If you have not put a password on the document and no-one else has had
access to do so, then the document is not protected but corrupt. There is no
mechanism by which documents can protect themselves.

I would be more concerned about giving my credit card details to someone who
cracks passwords for a living?

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org
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mcp6453 wrote:
> I have a Word document that is password protected. It is possible that
> the password is because of a corrupt document because I never use
> document passwords in Word.
>
> One of the most popular programs for finding a document password is
> Rixler's Office Multi-Document Password Cracker. However, I have a
> concern about the safety of the software because it appears to phone
> home when it is working:
>
> "The search for a decryption key is done on the online document
> decryption server, while the actual decryption is executed on your
> computer. This technology provides maximum security to the owner of
> the document as the latter remains on the computer and is not sent
> anywhere."
> The major concern is whether the program uploads any document
> information to Rixler. A Google search has not revealed any warnings
> about the use of the software. Since I'm not familiar with this
> company, and since they have been recommend in Microsoft newsgroups
> before, I thought I would ask. They have been around a while, and I
> would assume that they would not last if they are grabbing
> confidential information.
> The document is not particularly valuable, but it does contain some
> confidential information.

 

[mcp6453]

Graham Mayor wrote:

> I would be more concerned about giving my credit card details to someone who
> cracks passwords for a living?

Exactly. That's the question. The password on the document is not one
that I normally use, so that part is not an issue. The question is
whether the company uploads information contained within the document,
whatever that may be.

No one on the Internet is warning about them. Almost anyone is better at
monitoring and understanding Internet traffic than I am. The company has
been around long enough that if they are stealing information, the word
should have been out by now.

Thanks.