Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project?
I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. |
#2
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
Check out this discussion:
http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...337&sloc=en-us Jan Karel Pieterse posted a method to protect Excel VBA code about as tightly as it can be. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. |
#3
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project?
No there isn't. Worksheet passwords can be cracked in moments with software freely available using a Google search. Workbook to open and project passwords are more difficult and generally need commercial software to remove them but software such as found at the end of the link below will remove a project password instantly. The only way I'm aware of is to build you VB project using third party software compiled outside of Excel but i know very little about that. http://www.lostpassword.com/kit-standard.htm -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. |
#4
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
That's a pretty cool trick.
-- Best Regards, Luke M "JLatham" wrote in message ... Check out this discussion: http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...337&sloc=en-us Jan Karel Pieterse posted a method to protect Excel VBA code about as tightly as it can be. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. |
#5
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
Mike, Have you tried the method as advised by Jan Karel Pieterse . Can you try that method and tell us how easy it is to crack the VBA project . Hope you answer back soon. "Mike H" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? No there isn't. Worksheet passwords can be cracked in moments with software freely available using a Google search. Workbook to open and project passwords are more difficult and generally need commercial software to remove them but software such as found at the end of the link below will remove a project password instantly. The only way I'm aware of is to build you VB project using third party software compiled outside of Excel but i know very little about that. http://www.lostpassword.com/kit-standard.htm -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. |
#6
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
Passware (the link I gave you before) removed the password, saved an
unprotected copy and let me view the code in < 1 second. Note that the password shown below wasn't the real password, passware can't discover that, Instead it generates a string that will unlock the workbook. the actual password was quite complex and a mix of 10 alpha/numeric characters Here's the passware report File: Book1.xla Folder: C:\Documents and Settings\Mike H\Application Data\Microsoft\AddIns\ Protection: MS Excel 97-2003 - VBA Project, VBA Password Complexity: Instant Unprotection File-Open password: no password is set File-Modify password: no password is set VBA Project password: [FDGSCX] (no brackets) <Copy (generated) Unprotected file: Book1-unprotected.xla -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Mike, Have you tried the method as advised by Jan Karel Pieterse . Can you try that method and tell us how easy it is to crack the VBA project . Hope you answer back soon. "Mike H" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? No there isn't. Worksheet passwords can be cracked in moments with software freely available using a Google search. Workbook to open and project passwords are more difficult and generally need commercial software to remove them but software such as found at the end of the link below will remove a project password instantly. The only way I'm aware of is to build you VB project using third party software compiled outside of Excel but i know very little about that. http://www.lostpassword.com/kit-standard.htm -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. |
#7
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
It is a very sad outcome. I am a sad man now. I thought that there would be
some ways to frustrate the idiots who steal others work. So sad. Any clue that you have got , Mike. I got a reply from Ron. The same stuff. Nothing can be done to protect a VBA project. What to do!!! "Mike H" wrote: Passware (the link I gave you before) removed the password, saved an unprotected copy and let me view the code in < 1 second. Note that the password shown below wasn't the real password, passware can't discover that, Instead it generates a string that will unlock the workbook. the actual password was quite complex and a mix of 10 alpha/numeric characters Here's the passware report File: Book1.xla Folder: C:\Documents and Settings\Mike H\Application Data\Microsoft\AddIns\ Protection: MS Excel 97-2003 - VBA Project, VBA Password Complexity: Instant Unprotection File-Open password: no password is set File-Modify password: no password is set VBA Project password: [FDGSCX] (no brackets) <Copy (generated) Unprotected file: Book1-unprotected.xla -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Mike, Have you tried the method as advised by Jan Karel Pieterse . Can you try that method and tell us how easy it is to crack the VBA project . Hope you answer back soon. "Mike H" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? No there isn't. Worksheet passwords can be cracked in moments with software freely available using a Google search. Workbook to open and project passwords are more difficult and generally need commercial software to remove them but software such as found at the end of the link below will remove a project password instantly. The only way I'm aware of is to build you VB project using third party software compiled outside of Excel but i know very little about that. http://www.lostpassword.com/kit-standard.htm -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. |
#8
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
Dear JLatham, Mike opened the protected workbook in less than 1 second. That
was strange,no! "JLatham" wrote: Check out this discussion: http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...337&sloc=en-us Jan Karel Pieterse posted a method to protect Excel VBA code about as tightly as it can be. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. |
#9
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
Mike, are you sure you followed all the instructions and/or did you go on to
try and open the file with the alternative password in the report. JKP made a file protected with his method (actually it's been around a long time but the original source is unknown) for others to attempt to crack and AFAIK nobody was able to break it with Passware (there are other simple ways though which I won't go in to!) Beetal, curiosity why are you only asking MVPs, they are not the only ones around here who might be able to answer your question. Regards, Peter T "Mike H" wrote in message ... Passware (the link I gave you before) removed the password, saved an unprotected copy and let me view the code in < 1 second. Note that the password shown below wasn't the real password, passware can't discover that, Instead it generates a string that will unlock the workbook. the actual password was quite complex and a mix of 10 alpha/numeric characters Here's the passware report File: Book1.xla Folder: C:\Documents and Settings\Mike H\Application Data\Microsoft\AddIns\ Protection: MS Excel 97-2003 - VBA Project, VBA Password Complexity: Instant Unprotection File-Open password: no password is set File-Modify password: no password is set VBA Project password: [FDGSCX] (no brackets) <Copy (generated) Unprotected file: Book1-unprotected.xla -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Mike, Have you tried the method as advised by Jan Karel Pieterse . Can you try that method and tell us how easy it is to crack the VBA project . Hope you answer back soon. "Mike H" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? No there isn't. Worksheet passwords can be cracked in moments with software freely available using a Google search. Workbook to open and project passwords are more difficult and generally need commercial software to remove them but software such as found at the end of the link below will remove a project password instantly. The only way I'm aware of is to build you VB project using third party software compiled outside of Excel but i know very little about that. http://www.lostpassword.com/kit-standard.htm -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. |
#10
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
Hi,
I told you how to do it in my first post. You create your code using third party software and compile it. I have no experience of doing that and I guess you would get help; if not here, from a VB6 programming forum. Whatever you do you mustn't believe that code in Excel can be secure becuase it can't. All you can do is as one of your other respondents has pointed out 'make it as difficult as it gets' and as i think can be demonstrated that's not very difficult at all. Excel security provides protection against accidental deletion and discourages the honest user. The dishonest or malicious user will run rings around any security measure you put into place. -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: It is a very sad outcome. I am a sad man now. I thought that there would be some ways to frustrate the idiots who steal others work. So sad. Any clue that you have got , Mike. I got a reply from Ron. The same stuff. Nothing can be done to protect a VBA project. What to do!!! "Mike H" wrote: Passware (the link I gave you before) removed the password, saved an unprotected copy and let me view the code in < 1 second. Note that the password shown below wasn't the real password, passware can't discover that, Instead it generates a string that will unlock the workbook. the actual password was quite complex and a mix of 10 alpha/numeric characters Here's the passware report File: Book1.xla Folder: C:\Documents and Settings\Mike H\Application Data\Microsoft\AddIns\ Protection: MS Excel 97-2003 - VBA Project, VBA Password Complexity: Instant Unprotection File-Open password: no password is set File-Modify password: no password is set VBA Project password: [FDGSCX] (no brackets) <Copy (generated) Unprotected file: Book1-unprotected.xla -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Mike, Have you tried the method as advised by Jan Karel Pieterse . Can you try that method and tell us how easy it is to crack the VBA project . Hope you answer back soon. "Mike H" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? No there isn't. Worksheet passwords can be cracked in moments with software freely available using a Google search. Workbook to open and project passwords are more difficult and generally need commercial software to remove them but software such as found at the end of the link below will remove a project password instantly. The only way I'm aware of is to build you VB project using third party software compiled outside of Excel but i know very little about that. http://www.lostpassword.com/kit-standard.htm -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. |
#11
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
Peter,
Strange, I can see your post using Forte Agent but not on the web interface. I am as confident as I can be I followed the logic precisely. With the latest version of Passware (I have the Enterprise edition) You don't actually need the password string that is created to get into the code because Passware saves an unprotected copy of the workbook but yes I tried the password and it worked. On Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:35:28 -0000, "Peter T" <peter_t@discussions wrote: Mike, are you sure you followed all the instructions and/or did you go on to try and open the file with the alternative password in the report. JKP made a file protected with his method (actually it's been around a long time but the original source is unknown) for others to attempt to crack and AFAIK nobody was able to break it with Passware (there are other simple ways though which I won't go in to!) Beetal, curiosity why are you only asking MVPs, they are not the only ones around here who might be able to answer your question. Regards, Peter T "Mike H" wrote in message ... Passware (the link I gave you before) removed the password, saved an unprotected copy and let me view the code in < 1 second. Note that the password shown below wasn't the real password, passware can't discover that, Instead it generates a string that will unlock the workbook. the actual password was quite complex and a mix of 10 alpha/numeric characters Here's the passware report File: Book1.xla Folder: C:\Documents and Settings\Mike H\Application Data\Microsoft\AddIns\ Protection: MS Excel 97-2003 - VBA Project, VBA Password Complexity: Instant Unprotection File-Open password: no password is set File-Modify password: no password is set VBA Project password: [FDGSCX] (no brackets) <Copy (generated) Unprotected file: Book1-unprotected.xla -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Mike, Have you tried the method as advised by Jan Karel Pieterse . Can you try that method and tell us how easy it is to crack the VBA project . Hope you answer back soon. "Mike H" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? No there isn't. Worksheet passwords can be cracked in moments with software freely available using a Google search. Workbook to open and project passwords are more difficult and generally need commercial software to remove them but software such as found at the end of the link below will remove a project password instantly. The only way I'm aware of is to build you VB project using third party software compiled outside of Excel but i know very little about that. http://www.lostpassword.com/kit-standard.htm -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. |
#12
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
Peter,
Heavens knows where the posts are going tonight. I posted a reply to you that's vanished so here we go again. To make sure I just did it again and Jan Karel Pieterse is correct that you get 'Project unviewable' if you try to access it via VB editor. However, if an attack is made directly against the xla file using Passware it generates the password instantly. If you then open the xla file by double clicking it then it's a simple matter of viewing the code and entering the password The passware report File: Book2.xla Folder: C:\Documents and Settings\Mike H\Desktop\ Protection: MS Excel 97-2003 - VBA Project, VBA Password, Add-in Complexity: Instant Unprotection File-Open password: no password is set File-Modify password: no password is set VBA Project password: [QMEH3D] (no brackets) <Copy (generated) Unprotected file: Book2-unprotected2.xla -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "Peter T" wrote: Mike, are you sure you followed all the instructions and/or did you go on to try and open the file with the alternative password in the report. JKP made a file protected with his method (actually it's been around a long time but the original source is unknown) for others to attempt to crack and AFAIK nobody was able to break it with Passware (there are other simple ways though which I won't go in to!) Beetal, curiosity why are you only asking MVPs, they are not the only ones around here who might be able to answer your question. Regards, Peter T "Mike H" wrote in message ... Passware (the link I gave you before) removed the password, saved an unprotected copy and let me view the code in < 1 second. Note that the password shown below wasn't the real password, passware can't discover that, Instead it generates a string that will unlock the workbook. the actual password was quite complex and a mix of 10 alpha/numeric characters Here's the passware report File: Book1.xla Folder: C:\Documents and Settings\Mike H\Application Data\Microsoft\AddIns\ Protection: MS Excel 97-2003 - VBA Project, VBA Password Complexity: Instant Unprotection File-Open password: no password is set File-Modify password: no password is set VBA Project password: [FDGSCX] (no brackets) <Copy (generated) Unprotected file: Book1-unprotected.xla -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Mike, Have you tried the method as advised by Jan Karel Pieterse . Can you try that method and tell us how easy it is to crack the VBA project . Hope you answer back soon. "Mike H" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? No there isn't. Worksheet passwords can be cracked in moments with software freely available using a Google search. Workbook to open and project passwords are more difficult and generally need commercial software to remove them but software such as found at the end of the link below will remove a project password instantly. The only way I'm aware of is to build you VB project using third party software compiled outside of Excel but i know very little about that. http://www.lostpassword.com/kit-standard.htm -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. . |
#13
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
I see both your posts! But nothing surprises me about the web interface, aka
WebNews, it's incredibly unreliable. However I always post from a newsreader, typically OE, and there's often a delay of about 40min while webNews picks up from the MS's news-server, that might be why you can't see your other post yet. (Other mirrors like google-groups normally pick up the messages very quickly). OK, I accept what you say, though I couldn't crack JKP's file at least not with Passware (and neither could any one else AFAIK). Got a similar report to the one you listed, loaded the apparently cracked addin but the project was still locked. Must admit I haven't spent long on it because, as I mentioned, there is another way to open it. For my needs I still use VB6 which is about as secure as it gets. Regards, Peter T "Mike H" wrote in message ... Peter, Heavens knows where the posts are going tonight. I posted a reply to you that's vanished so here we go again. To make sure I just did it again and Jan Karel Pieterse is correct that you get 'Project unviewable' if you try to access it via VB editor. However, if an attack is made directly against the xla file using Passware it generates the password instantly. If you then open the xla file by double clicking it then it's a simple matter of viewing the code and entering the password The passware report File: Book2.xla Folder: C:\Documents and Settings\Mike H\Desktop\ Protection: MS Excel 97-2003 - VBA Project, VBA Password, Add-in Complexity: Instant Unprotection File-Open password: no password is set File-Modify password: no password is set VBA Project password: [QMEH3D] (no brackets) <Copy (generated) Unprotected file: Book2-unprotected2.xla -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "Peter T" wrote: Mike, are you sure you followed all the instructions and/or did you go on to try and open the file with the alternative password in the report. JKP made a file protected with his method (actually it's been around a long time but the original source is unknown) for others to attempt to crack and AFAIK nobody was able to break it with Passware (there are other simple ways though which I won't go in to!) Beetal, curiosity why are you only asking MVPs, they are not the only ones around here who might be able to answer your question. Regards, Peter T "Mike H" wrote in message ... Passware (the link I gave you before) removed the password, saved an unprotected copy and let me view the code in < 1 second. Note that the password shown below wasn't the real password, passware can't discover that, Instead it generates a string that will unlock the workbook. the actual password was quite complex and a mix of 10 alpha/numeric characters Here's the passware report File: Book1.xla Folder: C:\Documents and Settings\Mike H\Application Data\Microsoft\AddIns\ Protection: MS Excel 97-2003 - VBA Project, VBA Password Complexity: Instant Unprotection File-Open password: no password is set File-Modify password: no password is set VBA Project password: [FDGSCX] (no brackets) <Copy (generated) Unprotected file: Book1-unprotected.xla -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Mike, Have you tried the method as advised by Jan Karel Pieterse . Can you try that method and tell us how easy it is to crack the VBA project . Hope you answer back soon. "Mike H" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? No there isn't. Worksheet passwords can be cracked in moments with software freely available using a Google search. Workbook to open and project passwords are more difficult and generally need commercial software to remove them but software such as found at the end of the link below will remove a project password instantly. The only way I'm aware of is to build you VB project using third party software compiled outside of Excel but i know very little about that. http://www.lostpassword.com/kit-standard.htm -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. . |
#14
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
Peter,
I would like to get hold of this file because frankly I cannot see any way it could resist a passware attack using version 9.3 which I use. -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "Peter T" wrote: I see both your posts! But nothing surprises me about the web interface, aka WebNews, it's incredibly unreliable. However I always post from a newsreader, typically OE, and there's often a delay of about 40min while webNews picks up from the MS's news-server, that might be why you can't see your other post yet. (Other mirrors like google-groups normally pick up the messages very quickly). OK, I accept what you say, though I couldn't crack JKP's file at least not with Passware (and neither could any one else AFAIK). Got a similar report to the one you listed, loaded the apparently cracked addin but the project was still locked. Must admit I haven't spent long on it because, as I mentioned, there is another way to open it. For my needs I still use VB6 which is about as secure as it gets. Regards, Peter T "Mike H" wrote in message ... Peter, Heavens knows where the posts are going tonight. I posted a reply to you that's vanished so here we go again. To make sure I just did it again and Jan Karel Pieterse is correct that you get 'Project unviewable' if you try to access it via VB editor. However, if an attack is made directly against the xla file using Passware it generates the password instantly. If you then open the xla file by double clicking it then it's a simple matter of viewing the code and entering the password The passware report File: Book2.xla Folder: C:\Documents and Settings\Mike H\Desktop\ Protection: MS Excel 97-2003 - VBA Project, VBA Password, Add-in Complexity: Instant Unprotection File-Open password: no password is set File-Modify password: no password is set VBA Project password: [QMEH3D] (no brackets) <Copy (generated) Unprotected file: Book2-unprotected2.xla -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "Peter T" wrote: Mike, are you sure you followed all the instructions and/or did you go on to try and open the file with the alternative password in the report. JKP made a file protected with his method (actually it's been around a long time but the original source is unknown) for others to attempt to crack and AFAIK nobody was able to break it with Passware (there are other simple ways though which I won't go in to!) Beetal, curiosity why are you only asking MVPs, they are not the only ones around here who might be able to answer your question. Regards, Peter T "Mike H" wrote in message ... Passware (the link I gave you before) removed the password, saved an unprotected copy and let me view the code in < 1 second. Note that the password shown below wasn't the real password, passware can't discover that, Instead it generates a string that will unlock the workbook. the actual password was quite complex and a mix of 10 alpha/numeric characters Here's the passware report File: Book1.xla Folder: C:\Documents and Settings\Mike H\Application Data\Microsoft\AddIns\ Protection: MS Excel 97-2003 - VBA Project, VBA Password Complexity: Instant Unprotection File-Open password: no password is set File-Modify password: no password is set VBA Project password: [FDGSCX] (no brackets) <Copy (generated) Unprotected file: Book1-unprotected.xla -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Mike, Have you tried the method as advised by Jan Karel Pieterse . Can you try that method and tell us how easy it is to crack the VBA project . Hope you answer back soon. "Mike H" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? No there isn't. Worksheet passwords can be cracked in moments with software freely available using a Google search. Workbook to open and project passwords are more difficult and generally need commercial software to remove them but software such as found at the end of the link below will remove a project password instantly. The only way I'm aware of is to build you VB project using third party software compiled outside of Excel but i know very little about that. http://www.lostpassword.com/kit-standard.htm -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. . . |
#15
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
Ok, Peter Sir,
Please tell me how to go about using VB6. Just spend few lines and direct me to some sites(do you have a site?) where I can get the necessary info. Thank you so much for being a party to all the discussion. It was very encouraging to see you and Mike giving such a great effort to thrash out the issue. By the way, I am using 2007. I did not assume that MVPs have exclusive knowledge about all this stuff. That was to ensure that "the masters get drawn" to solve my request. Thank you. Now, what do I do? Should I ask some oneto do a DLL in C++ or is there a way out. Now any source on VBA to VB6 DLL that should work in 2007. I am sorry that I am bothering you folks. thanks and Kind regards " wrote: Peter, Strange, I can see your post using Forte Agent but not on the web interface. I am as confident as I can be I followed the logic precisely. With the latest version of Passware (I have the Enterprise edition) You don't actually need the password string that is created to get into the code because Passware saves an unprotected copy of the workbook but yes I tried the password and it worked. On Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:35:28 -0000, "Peter T" <peter_t@discussions wrote: Mike, are you sure you followed all the instructions and/or did you go on to try and open the file with the alternative password in the report. JKP made a file protected with his method (actually it's been around a long time but the original source is unknown) for others to attempt to crack and AFAIK nobody was able to break it with Passware (there are other simple ways though which I won't go in to!) Beetal, curiosity why are you only asking MVPs, they are not the only ones around here who might be able to answer your question. Regards, Peter T "Mike H" wrote in message ... Passware (the link I gave you before) removed the password, saved an unprotected copy and let me view the code in < 1 second. Note that the password shown below wasn't the real password, passware can't discover that, Instead it generates a string that will unlock the workbook. the actual password was quite complex and a mix of 10 alpha/numeric characters Here's the passware report File: Book1.xla Folder: C:\Documents and Settings\Mike H\Application Data\Microsoft\AddIns\ Protection: MS Excel 97-2003 - VBA Project, VBA Password Complexity: Instant Unprotection File-Open password: no password is set File-Modify password: no password is set VBA Project password: [FDGSCX] (no brackets) <Copy (generated) Unprotected file: Book1-unprotected.xla -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Mike, Have you tried the method as advised by Jan Karel Pieterse . Can you try that method and tell us how easy it is to crack the VBA project . Hope you answer back soon. "Mike H" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? No there isn't. Worksheet passwords can be cracked in moments with software freely available using a Google search. Workbook to open and project passwords are more difficult and generally need commercial software to remove them but software such as found at the end of the link below will remove a project password instantly. The only way I'm aware of is to build you VB project using third party software compiled outside of Excel but i know very little about that. http://www.lostpassword.com/kit-standard.htm -- Mike When competing hypotheses are otherwise equal, adopt the hypothesis that introduces the fewest assumptions while still sufficiently answering the question. "BEETAL" wrote: Is there no way to fully protect a VBA project? I have come across many comments in the excel programming news group which say that it would take 30 seconds to un-protect a VBA project. What is the best way to make the opening up the VBA project as difficult as possible. I was expecting that 2007 Excel vesrion would have the best possible protection features. . |
#16
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
Mike,
I would like to get hold of this file because frankly I cannot see any way it could resist a passware attack using version 9.3 which I use. I used an older version so maybe that's the reason. If you want to leave your address here or contact me off-line (my address is lightly disguised in the reply-to field) I'll send you Jan Karel's file (with his consent). Regards, Peter T |
#17
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
"BEETAL" wrote in message
Please tell me how to go about using VB6. Just spend few lines and direct me First 3 caveats - VB6 is no longer officially supported by MS - For the future it will not work with 64 bit Office as an ActiveX (not sure what the long term predominance of 64 bit will be) - You will need to obtain the VB6. If you have an MSDN subscription you can get it free, otherwise from a third-party, eg eBay OTH: It's by far the easiest of all the languages to migrate to (well, it's not a different language) and it works particularly well with Office; in some respects better than its replacement vb .Net in respect of communicating with Excel. Although you can make an exe to automate Excel typically you make a VB6 ActiveX dll. You can call this with your own VBA code, as a wrapper where your code simply calls a function in the dll passing any relevant parameters. The function might return a value or object or maybe simply load a form and take it from there. The aX could also be a ComAddin (from XL2000) or used as an Automation Addin (from XL2002) if it's only purpose is UDFs. No VBA at all. The VB6 form is a bit of a learning curve, superficially it looks like a Userform but it isn't the same. Alternatively you can simply drag your old VBA userform into the VB6 project and surprisingly it will work. Unless you have VB6 to hand there isn't much point giving code examples here, but there really isn't much to it. The main thing to watch out for is all code to Excel objects must be fully qualified back to the application, eg xlApp.ActiveCell. Similarly to call Excel's VBA functions, say xlApp.Union(args) Regards, Peter T |
#18
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
On Mar 25, 2:36*pm, "Peter T" <peter_t@discussions wrote:
"BEETAL" *wrote in message Please tell me how to go about using VB6. Just spend few lines and direct me First 3 caveats - VB6 is no longer officially supported by MS - For the future it will not work with 64 bit Office as an ActiveX (not sure what the long term predominance of 64 bit will be) - You will need to obtain the VB6. If you have an MSDN subscription you can get it free, otherwise from a third-party, eg eBay OTH: It's by far the easiest of all the languages to migrate to (well, it's not a different language) and it works particularly well with Office; in some respects better than its replacement vb .Net in respect of communicating with Excel. Although you can make an exe to automate Excel typically you make a VB6 ActiveX dll. You can call this with your own VBA code, as a wrapper where your code simply calls a function in the dll passing any relevant parameters. The function might return a value or object or maybe simply load a form and take it from there. The aX could also be a ComAddin (from XL2000) or used as an AutomationAddin (from XL2002) if it's only purpose is UDFs. No VBA at all. The VB6 form is a bit of a learning curve, superficially it looks like a Userform but it isn't the same. Alternatively you can simply drag your old VBA userform into the VB6 project and surprisingly it will work. Unless you have VB6 to hand there isn't much point giving code examples here, but there really isn't much to it. The main thing to watch out for is all code to Excel objects must be fully qualified back to the application, eg xlApp.ActiveCell. Similarly to call Excel's VBA functions, say xlApp.Union(args) Regards, Peter T Hi Peter, I am quite intrested in this com addin dll specifically for the code security. I need to connect to sql and pass on some commands which will return few rows of data to be written back in excel. Can you pl provide some code examples or point me to the same? Here's my connection string and a sample command used in VBA. ===================== Dim cn As New ADODB.Connection Dim VAL, UPVAL cn.Open "Driver={SQL Server};Server=Madiya;Uid=sa;Pwd=tgpata;Database=G 1" cn.Execute ("truncate table [check]") ===================== Also to run the same I want to add a button in the context menu. Using XL2007. Regards, Madiya |
#19
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
This one is For all the accomplished MVPs.
"Madiya" wrote in message ... On Mar 25, 2:36 pm, "Peter T" <peter_t@discussions wrote: "BEETAL" wrote in message Please tell me how to go about using VB6. Just spend few lines and direct me First 3 caveats - VB6 is no longer officially supported by MS - For the future it will not work with 64 bit Office as an ActiveX (not sure what the long term predominance of 64 bit will be) - You will need to obtain the VB6. If you have an MSDN subscription you can get it free, otherwise from a third-party, eg eBay OTH: It's by far the easiest of all the languages to migrate to (well, it's not a different language) and it works particularly well with Office; in some respects better than its replacement vb .Net in respect of communicating with Excel. Although you can make an exe to automate Excel typically you make a VB6 ActiveX dll. You can call this with your own VBA code, as a wrapper where your code simply calls a function in the dll passing any relevant parameters. The function might return a value or object or maybe simply load a form and take it from there. The aX could also be a ComAddin (from XL2000) or used as an AutomationAddin (from XL2002) if it's only purpose is UDFs. No VBA at all. The VB6 form is a bit of a learning curve, superficially it looks like a Userform but it isn't the same. Alternatively you can simply drag your old VBA userform into the VB6 project and surprisingly it will work. Unless you have VB6 to hand there isn't much point giving code examples here, but there really isn't much to it. The main thing to watch out for is all code to Excel objects must be fully qualified back to the application, eg xlApp.ActiveCell. Similarly to call Excel's VBA functions, say xlApp.Union(args) Regards, Peter T Hi Peter, I am quite intrested in this com addin dll specifically for the code security. I need to connect to sql and pass on some commands which will return few rows of data to be written back in excel. Can you pl provide some code examples or point me to the same? Here's my connection string and a sample command used in VBA. ===================== Dim cn As New ADODB.Connection Dim VAL, UPVAL cn.Open "Driver={SQL Server};Server=Madiya;Uid=sa;Pwd=tgpata;Database=G 1" cn.Execute ("truncate table [check]") ===================== Also to run the same I want to add a button in the context menu. Using XL2007. Regards, Madiya ------------------------------------------- Hello Madiya, All the SQL stuff will be identical in VB6, so you should be able to port it from VBA as-is. You would though need to qualify any references back to Excel when it comes to dumping back any data to a sheet. You would add the ADODB reference as you would in VBA, albeit from a different place in the UI As a ComAddin you need to add a special class that implements IDTExtensibility, in particular to trap the Excel host's OnConnection & OnDisconnection events (template included with VB6). By default the class will be named "Connect". Briefly, when Excel starts a reference to Excel is passed to VB6 in the OnConnection event which you maintain globally as say xlApp until Excel quits. Menu buttons can be added the same way as in VBA with the VB6 app responding to the button's click event, using withevents. For 2007 it's not straightforward at all to add buttons to the Ribbon with appropriate callbacks, a learning curve to get the xml not only right but in the dll, but it can be done. Much simpler to do it the old way which will put buttons in the Addins tab. Regards, Peter T |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Could this be accomplished with an if, then statement | Excel Worksheet Functions | |||
Thanks to all the MVPs and others! | Excel Worksheet Functions | |||
Excel MVPs | Excel Worksheet Functions | |||
Can something like this be accomplished? | Excel Worksheet Functions | |||
Help from mvps | Excel Discussion (Misc queries) |