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Wolfgang
11-07-2006, 01:02 AM
Good Morning John,

Do you mind explaining the following by a small example, please:
Protection by subterfuge:
e.g. A large splash panel is presented that requests a password be entered within a small given time. The password is non-existent, it's a decoy, what is actually required is that a very small invisible object hidden in a pre-defined spot on the splash panel must be clicked.

Sounds like magic to me and I've never heard anything like it before...of course, that doesn't mean a thing, for there is a lot of stuff out there that I have not a single clue of...

Thank you
Wolfgang

johnske
11-07-2006, 03:22 AM
Good Morning John,

Do you mind explaining the following by a small example, please:... Sure - attached.

There are TWO hidden spots to click in this example to cancel the splash screen - but you only need to click one to cancel and use the workbook. (If you miss them there is an "Application.Quit" that closes all open workbooks - you have 10 seconds to find and click one :devil2: )

1) In the picture you'll see a tiny chap with a pink cap - Click the very centre of his cap, or

2) In the text on the right (all the "blah"s) click the "l" or "a" of the third-last blah.

I've left the project unlocked so you can view the code :)

Wolfgang
11-07-2006, 06:15 AM
Hi John,

Thank you very much for your answer...

Would it be ok for me according to the ethics of this fine forum to continue with rattling along with what I have in mind, or should I rather open a new thread?!

Best,
Wolfgang

johnske
11-07-2006, 06:32 AM
Hi John,

Thank you very much for your answer...

Would it be ok for me according to the ethics of this fine forum to continue with rattling along with what I have in mind, or should I rather open a new threat?!

Best,
WolfgangStart a new thread...


EDIT: This post, and the posts above have all been merged from the previous thread

Wolfgang
11-07-2006, 06:48 AM
Hi all...

I stumbled over John's hint to use something like said Title in order to execute a workbook protection and John was kind enough to sent me an example file...

John, first of all, I had to take a look at Wikipedia to find out about the meaning of the term that you introduced...WOWWWW...

I am impressed by the way which you are using to achieve protection...

When I started your file I just could not resist the temptation to press Ctrl and Break...and I was taken to your code immediately...

Can you cancel that action?!

Because then this type of workbook protection would be a terrific way of doing things for I am sure that not many people will know how to break that...hackers not counted in, of course...

Best,
Wolfgang

johnske
11-07-2006, 07:07 AM
Try now... :)

Wolfgang
11-07-2006, 11:15 AM
Good Morning John,

Just one more question...Is it possible to change those two hidden spots at all?!

If so, then there will be practically limitless combinations for protection...

Best,
Wolfgang

johnske
11-07-2006, 01:51 PM
Of course, that's the whole idea, it could be anywhere on the userform.

The example userform is just over 21 cm wide and 16.5 cm high, so there is an area of about 35000 square mm on the userform. One of the spots is about 1 mm by 1 mm, so there is roughly only one chance in 35000 that this spot would be found - working against a 10 second time limit - with a systematic search or by accident (and that's if you already knew that there was no password on earth that would work, but didn't know where the spot was :))

The current two spots are labels, Label8 and Label9.

Copy the code for label8 or 9, create a new label, double-click it and put the copied code into the click event for the new label. Delete the Label number that's on the label, go to properties and set the Backstyle to transparent. Size the label to a small size and drag it to where you want it (be careful here, it's invisible and if you lose track of it you probably won't find it again) and remember where it is.

Now comment out or delete the code for labels 8 and 9 to de-activate them :)

johnske
11-07-2006, 02:19 PM
PS: Of course, to make it harder, you could also easily make it so that you really DO need to enter a password as well as click on the hidden area (you could also make it so you have to do each of these in a specific order :devil2: ) :)

Zack Barresse
11-07-2006, 02:21 PM
Wolfgang, in the future, if you're wanting to speak to a specific person, I'd appreciate it if you used the private messaging system we have here at VBAX. If you do not have it turned on, you can do so from your UserCP (control panel).

johnske
11-07-2006, 02:45 PM
Hi Zack, if anyone's at 'fault' here, it's me... This issue first arose as a side-issue in another thread in which Wolfgang said he had further questions so I thought it best he start a new thread rather than risk getting too far off-topic and hijacking that thread. It is now an open thread and anyone is free to answer his questions.

Aussiebear
11-07-2006, 11:32 PM
Zack, I too had no problems with the thread. Even though the conversation was between John And Wolfgang, it was as if I was standing there in the "group" with them, listening to the conversation.

I realise that there's a fine line here and you need to err on the side, which promotes open conversation for the benefit of the forum.

Ted

Wolfgang
11-08-2006, 12:55 AM
Good Morning again John,

Sorry for the confusion that I may have created...apologies...

And thank you very much for your ideas...as I already said, never heard of anything like that before...

I once had the idea of affectively "scrambling" the contents of any individual cell such that it becomes encrypted.
In order to decrypt it again the user gets a password delivered by e-mail and there is no VBA involved in the user's copy of the workbook, because encryption takes place within the original workbook which remains at the sender.

This turned out to be very effective but it only "hides" individual cell contents but can not be used to "hide" any code...

Have a great day in beautiful Australia...it's zero degrees Celsius over here...

Best,
Wolfgang

Zack Barresse
11-09-2006, 05:33 PM
To all: There is no 'fault' here, it's definitely not a big deal. I realize it was benefiting everyone, but just to mention it was borderline. Keep up the good work. :yes

Wolfgang: Nice to hear it's so warm there this time of year. :wot

johnske
11-10-2006, 11:38 PM
...Have a great day in beautiful Australia...it's zero degrees Celsius over here...Sounds like heaven, it's getting into summer over here now and the last week has been in the mid to high 30's - A/C already going full-bore (I hate summers - zero sounds really good at the moment :))