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23cp
05-07-2010, 09:47 PM
Hi. I am using Excel 2007. I know that Excel offers security passwords for various steps: 1- accessing file (reading and writing), 2- sheet protection, 3- workbook protection, and 4- VBA code and project. The security level is much better for accessing file than for the others (I read they could be easily cracked if you know how).

Various people will be accessing my file, so file protection is not my issue. I need that the others steps, especially the VBA code, could not be accessible, even for a pro with knowledge or "brute force". Is there any way to secure the passwords of sheet protection, workbook protection and VBA project protection, when someone has access to the file?

If no password can be secured, is it possible to disable the VBA window so when someone try to access that window (even from another workbook), the VBA window would stay not visible or disactivated as long as my file is open? The same for the sheet protection and workbook protection, is it possible to disable the access to these capabilities so no one could try to crack the passwords? Thanks.

Blade Hunter
05-07-2010, 10:29 PM
Not really, as you said someone may be proficient with VBA.

If it were given to me, I would not even bother with trying to unlock password protected modules with passwords saved in them, I would just put a stop in the code somewhere and use the immediate window to debug.print whatever the password variable is. It has to be shown somewhere.

VBA is not a brilliant choice for security. One of my previous apps I went so far as to scan with windows login, throw that at our oracle DB to secure their database details then use that whenever any transactions were made.

If someone was proficient enough all they need to do is intercept the DB call and in the immediate window enter ?DBPassword

I guess the thing I had was that no one here was really proficient enough and they probably would have given up once they saw this app was over 10,000 lines of code and 22 modules ;)

mdmackillop
05-08-2010, 01:14 AM
As I understand it Excel is not secure. I've no experience of these techniques but do a google search on +excel +exe for ways of creating an EXE file. Maybe that can provide a solution.