Cracking excel password(how to prevent it)

**randell.graybill** · 10-09-2009, 10:30 PM

I found an excel add-in within minutes of searching for it online that cracks an excel spreadsheet password and after playing with it for awhile the longest time I can get for it to crack a password is just over 3 minutes. Which doesn't make me feel to good about using this method to protect my data as it is very easy to get around. Is there another way without messing with file security itself outside of excel that would make it harder to unprotect?

I guess what I'm really asking is there a way to lock cells or something without using the built in method that is painfully easy to circumvent.

**teylyn** · 10-09-2009, 10:43 PM

Hi,

Excel sheet passwords have always been easy to crack. But if you password protect the Workbook, it'll be a lot harder.

**Leith Ross** · 10-09-2009, 11:07 PM

Hello randell.graybill,

Excel passwords and VBA passwords are not intended for security, but rather to prevent accidental changes and deletions to the data. I own two password programs because of all the work I do with other people's files. Someone forgets to remove them or provide them when sending workbooks to me.

There is a program available that claims to be able to convert an Excel workbook into an executable program. If this really works it would provide you with security. The downside being it makes more work for you when changes have to be made.