MS Word passwords easily broken with Hex Editor
A German security company has published simple instructions demonstrating how to break one of the most commonly used Word document password protection schemes. MS has responded by saying that particular scheme, activated by clicking on Tools/Protect Document, was not intended as a security feature. It looks like somewhere along the line MS forgot to tell Word users that protecting a document with a password wasn’t really meant to protect. Go figure.  Meantime, use the Tool/Options/Security option for protecting your Word documents. That protection scheme, apparently, actually protects ;>) http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/348692/2004-01-02/2004-01-08/0

Related posts:

  1. Word Bug?
  2. Protected documents unlocked
  3. Word documents pose hidden security risk
  4. MS Word Security Problem
  5. Cracking office passwords
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All Windows Secrets articles posted on 2004-01-21: