Office 2007 Security improvement

[cadence]

Hello all,

I know that questions about security are taboo, and I have no intention of breaking from that tradition. but I wanted to ask what the feeling was about the new security levels on Office 2007 for excel.

My understanding is that its based on new 40 -bit encryption from the old 2 bit that was on earlier version, (if this is wrong please correct me).

what are peoples feeling about this?

does it provide better security, rather than the push over protection that is currently in place?

does the security improvements apply to both the macros and worksheets?

Does anyone know of creaks in it (not to be sited here, just wether they exist)?

love to know what the mood in the community is, as I am all for safer working environments.

johnny

 

[SydneyGeek]

Hi Johnny, I don't think MS regards Excel as a secure environment. From their overview on Excel 2007 security:

Hiding, locking, and protecting workbook and worksheet elements is not intended to secure or protect any confidential information that you keep in a workbook. It only helps obscure data or formulas that might confuse other users and prevents them from viewing or making changes to that data.

Excel does not encrypt data that is hidden or locked in a workbook. To help keep confidential data confidential, you may want to limit access to workbooks that contain such information by storing them in a location that is available only to authorized users

Denis