Are password protected Word documents secure?

[Guest adams77]

Before I make a reccomendation at work, any idea how secure a password protected Word or Excel Doc is? We need to send a document back and forth internally then externally. Before I make a reccomendation would like to get some details.

 

Thanks!

 

[Steve Krause]

Depends......

 

You need to do it properly AND, you need to be using either Office 2003 or Office 2007. This applies to both Word documents and Excel spreadsheets.

 

What I mean by "properly" is you need to configure the correct ENCRYPTION (Office 2003 only) AND, you need to use a LONG and STRONG password or pass phrase.

 

If you need a "How-To", take a look at my Tutorials I wrote on the subjects:

 

Password Protect Microsoft Office 2003 Documents

Password Protect Microsoft Office 2007 Documents

 

If you follow the instructions, the documents can actually be very secure. Easily good enough to send Office Documents around the office and over the internet.

 

Hope that answers your question.

[Guest adams77]

I have office 2007 so I think im good to go. i'll just use a long pass phrase.

 

thanks mrgroove for getting back to me so quickly.