I have a protected workbook with VBA codes in it. In order for the
VBA codes to work on the worksheets, I add the following code.

ActiveSheet.Protect Password:="Seattlecaseraisesquestionsabout",
UserInterfaceOnly:=True

When I opened the workbook with Notepad, I found that the password
is unscrambled and unencrypted, just plain text. The longer the
password is, the easier for it to be spotted.

No one at Microsoft thinks of encrypting or scrambling the
password? Is this a joke or what?

The same is true for activeworkbook.protect password:= also.

And if the reason you protect the sheet is to hide the formulae so
people can't peek them. Forget that. The formulae are stored in
plain text so everyone can see them.

I don't think the worksheet protection was intended to keep people out, but
to keep people from inadvertently altering the data.

http://www.mcgimpsey.com/excel/removepwords.html

I believe the password to open/password to modify/VBA Project protection is
somewhat better, but there are several online vendors that claim to break
these (I've never used them - so can't tell you more, but am pretty sure the
longest they claim to do it in is few days - it may even be a matter of hours
for some of them).

Don't keep anything sensitive in Excel.


"John Smith" wrote:

I have a protected workbook with VBA codes in it. In order for the
VBA codes to work on the worksheets, I add the following code.

ActiveSheet.Protect Password:="Seattlecaseraisesquestionsabout",
UserInterfaceOnly:=True

When I opened the workbook with Notepad, I found that the password
is unscrambled and unencrypted, just plain text. The longer the
password is, the easier for it to be spotted.

No one at Microsoft thinks of encrypting or scrambling the
password? Is this a joke or what?

The same is true for activeworkbook.protect password:= also.

And if the reason you protect the sheet is to hide the formulae so
people can't peek them. Forget that. The formulae are stored in
plain text so everyone can see them.