Protect WITHOUT Encryption

**john258** · 08-05-2009, 05:59 AM

I have workbooks with both individual sheets and the entire workbook protected. I have a third party tool that is reading the xlsx file and going to put the data in a database.

It seems that when I protect the workbook and put in a password, Excel is also encrypting the file, not just protecting it by making you enter a password. I think this is the case because if I hit protect and leave the password blank, my tool can read the file. If I protect and give it a password, my tool says it can't read it because it's encrypted.

Is there a way to protect the workbook WITHOUT also encrypting?

**Andy Pope** · 08-05-2009, 06:33 AM

If the file was not encrypted then the password protection would be completely ineffective. As you know the .xlsx file is just a multi folder zip file.

**john258** · 08-05-2009, 01:20 PM

Well, not necessarily, they could have set it up as a "login" type password, just a front door.

**Andy Pope** · 08-06-2009, 04:46 AM

But the 'front door' approach usually just hides the worksheets until valid password is entered and then all relevent data is revealed. This is file when the workbook is in binary format as it's very difficult for the user to peak at the data without breaking the security.

The trouble is with .xlsx files you can see the context without using excel due to the xml storage.

So if a workbook has protection set the information must be encrypted within the xml storage to avoid prying eyes.