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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.




.