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#1
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How can I decrypt a Microsoft Word document for which I have the key?
As per a suggestion from another group,
(http://groups.google.com/group/micro...0crack&rnum=2&) I've posted my question here in hopes of a helpful response. Thanks in advance. Hi all, I'm rather a novice when it comes to security concerns in the Microsoft realm, so please bear with me. Here's my situation: A friend has an old Microsoft Word (97+, I am guessing) document for which she has set an "open document password." That is, the file is password-protected and encrypted. She has forgotten the password for the file and now needs to open it, but can't without cracking the security protection she has already placed on it. I have never before even attempted anything like this, but figuring it a good opportunity to learn something I took it upon myself to see if I could help. My research uncovered a plethora of Windows-based tools (applications) which promise to recover the password if I buy the full version of the program, but since this task is largely for my own edification it would be utterly pointless just to pay for a program. Nevertheless, I tried to the demo versions of plenty of these programs. One proved fruitful: it has managed to recover the encryption key used on the document. So now I have learned several things about the Word document. Firstly, the password is more than five characters long. Secondly, that it is likely a "modern" version of Microsoft Word. Thirdly, and I am assuming most helpful, I know the precise encryption key. Knowing these things, especialy the encryption key, how can I now decrypt the document and read its contents? Thanks in advance for pointing me in the right direction. Regards, -Meitar |
#2
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How can I decrypt a Microsoft Word document for which I havethe key?
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#3
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How can I decrypt a Microsoft Word document for which I have the key?
Robert M. Franz (RMF) wrote: Hi meitarm We all think it's pointless to pay when we don't want to ... ;-) True enough, but you must concede that I will be less likely to learn about the workings of security on Office documents if I pay for a program to crack it for me rather than actually do my research on how it works. I would be more than happy to spend money on a curriculum in comptuer security; I am less enthused about the idea of paying for something which will not teach me something other than how to use the interface of the one program I choose to purchase. Have you tried opening the file in Word? 2cents Robert Yes, I have tried openning the file in Word. When I do so, a dialogue box pops up and asks for the password to open the document. Remember, I do not know the password. What I do know is the 40-bit encryption key with which to decrypt the document. Unfortuantely, I do not know how to apply my knowledge of the encryption key to a process that will result in a decrypted document. In other words, how do I take encrypted document A and encryption key X and produce unecrypted document P? Thanks, -Meitar |
#4
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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How can I decrypt a Microsoft Word document for which I have the key?
Modern Word security is fairly effective. I don't know exactly how it works
but, as far as I understand, it can not be broken and all that the myriad products available for download and/or purchase do is a full frontal assault with a sledgehammer - they keep trying passwords until they find one that works (which might take days or weeks depending on the complexity of the original password). I have no idea what you have found that you think is an encryption key but what you would need would be a *de*cryption key (essentially a password); without that I don't think you have made any progress. General 'netiquette' on all forums in which I participate is that breaking security is not an acceptable subject for disussion. Any information posted is public and open to misuse whether or not your own situation is genuine. There may be dedicated security forums somewhere on the net where you could learn about general encryption/decryption techniques, I don't know, but you are unlikely to get any real help here even if, which I doubt, any is actually available. A password is what you need - without one you cannot read the document which, I'm sure, is welcome news to most users. -- Enjoy, Tony wrote in message oups.com... As per a suggestion from another group, (http://groups.google.com/group/micro...se_thread/thre ad/d82c615b3863c54c/0b6bba3706025ebb?lnk=st&q=microsoft%20word%20encry ption% 20key%20crack&rnum=2&) I've posted my question here in hopes of a helpful response. Thanks in advance. Hi all, I'm rather a novice when it comes to security concerns in the Microsoft realm, so please bear with me. Here's my situation: A friend has an old Microsoft Word (97+, I am guessing) document for which she has set an "open document password." That is, the file is password-protected and encrypted. She has forgotten the password for the file and now needs to open it, but can't without cracking the security protection she has already placed on it. I have never before even attempted anything like this, but figuring it a good opportunity to learn something I took it upon myself to see if I could help. My research uncovered a plethora of Windows-based tools (applications) which promise to recover the password if I buy the full version of the program, but since this task is largely for my own edification it would be utterly pointless just to pay for a program. Nevertheless, I tried to the demo versions of plenty of these programs. One proved fruitful: it has managed to recover the encryption key used on the document. So now I have learned several things about the Word document. Firstly, the password is more than five characters long. Secondly, that it is likely a "modern" version of Microsoft Word. Thirdly, and I am assuming most helpful, I know the precise encryption key. Knowing these things, especialy the encryption key, how can I now decrypt the document and read its contents? Thanks in advance for pointing me in the right direction. Regards, -Meitar |
#5
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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How can I decrypt a Microsoft Word document for which I havethe key?
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#6
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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How can I decrypt a Microsoft Word document for which I have the key?
Tony Jollans wrote:
Modern Word security is fairly effective. I don't know exactly how it works but, as far as I understand, it can not be broken and all that the myriad products available for download and/or purchase do is a full frontal assault with a sledgehammer - they keep trying passwords until they find one that works (which might take days or weeks depending on the complexity of the original password). I have no idea what you have found that you think is an encryption key but what you would need would be a *de*cryption key (essentially a password); without that I don't think you have made any progress. Perhaps, then, I'm a little confused. Say I write a memo in Microsoft Word, then protect it with a password to open. The document is now "protected" in that it needs a password to open the file but isn't that just a convenient mechanism for decryption? That is, to really protect the document, the file itself must be inaccessible (encrypted?) and the password to open it is merely a user interface technique to give one user access to the encrypted information. I was under the impression that there are two "levels" of security in Microsoft Word documents: 1) the password can brute-forced and that will open the document via the so-called natural attempt of opening the document and 2) the document, the file itself, is encrypted so that another user could manipulate the document through any other (perhaps non-GUI) means. When I talk of having the encryption key, what I mean is that through a brute-force (keyspace-attack) search on the document itself I was able to discern the 40-bit value used as the encryption key. Whether or not that's helpful at all is another story. General 'netiquette' on all forums in which I participate is that breaking security is not an acceptable subject for disussion. Any information posted is public and open to misuse whether or not your own situation is genuine. There may be dedicated security forums somewhere on the net where you could learn about general encryption/decryption techniques, I don't know, but you are unlikely to get any real help here even if, which I doubt, any is actually available. A password is what you need - without one you cannot read the document which, I'm sure, is welcome news to most users. -- Enjoy, Tony I understand--a sensitive subject and a public forum don't often mix well. Sounds to me like the classic case of those who know don't talk and, you know the rest. That's okay though. I do appreciate your reply and will continue to educate myself elsewhere. Also thanks for the gentle nudge on security-related netiquette. -Meitar |
#7
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How can I decrypt a Microsoft Word document for which I have the key?
Hi Meitar,
This may depend a bit on the version of Word you are using, but I believe that the act of giving a Word document a password causes it to be encrypted when saved. You have the option to choose the strength of encryption but there isn't a separate encryption process in any way independent of the document having a password. It seems almost unthinkable to me that any kind of encrypted document would contain within it full information to enable its decryption and, as the password is the only user input into the process, I assume it plays a part in the process. Chances are that the password alone is not sufficient for decryption and my guess is that what you have found is something which needs to be used in conjunction with the password to decrypt the document. That really is the extent of my 'knowledge' (I'm no threat to anyone!) I have no more than a passing interest in cryptography, and I'm not hiding anything from you Good luck! -- Enjoy, Tony wrote in message ups.com... Tony Jollans wrote: Modern Word security is fairly effective. I don't know exactly how it works but, as far as I understand, it can not be broken and all that the myriad products available for download and/or purchase do is a full frontal assault with a sledgehammer - they keep trying passwords until they find one that works (which might take days or weeks depending on the complexity of the original password). I have no idea what you have found that you think is an encryption key but what you would need would be a *de*cryption key (essentially a password); without that I don't think you have made any progress. Perhaps, then, I'm a little confused. Say I write a memo in Microsoft Word, then protect it with a password to open. The document is now "protected" in that it needs a password to open the file but isn't that just a convenient mechanism for decryption? That is, to really protect the document, the file itself must be inaccessible (encrypted?) and the password to open it is merely a user interface technique to give one user access to the encrypted information. I was under the impression that there are two "levels" of security in Microsoft Word documents: 1) the password can brute-forced and that will open the document via the so-called natural attempt of opening the document and 2) the document, the file itself, is encrypted so that another user could manipulate the document through any other (perhaps non-GUI) means. When I talk of having the encryption key, what I mean is that through a brute-force (keyspace-attack) search on the document itself I was able to discern the 40-bit value used as the encryption key. Whether or not that's helpful at all is another story. General 'netiquette' on all forums in which I participate is that breaking security is not an acceptable subject for disussion. Any information posted is public and open to misuse whether or not your own situation is genuine. There may be dedicated security forums somewhere on the net where you could learn about general encryption/decryption techniques, I don't know, but you are unlikely to get any real help here even if, which I doubt, any is actually available. A password is what you need - without one you cannot read the document which, I'm sure, is welcome news to most users. -- Enjoy, Tony I understand--a sensitive subject and a public forum don't often mix well. Sounds to me like the classic case of those who know don't talk and, you know the rest. That's okay though. I do appreciate your reply and will continue to educate myself elsewhere. Also thanks for the gentle nudge on security-related netiquette. -Meitar |
#8
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There are many online tools who can decrypt a microsoft word document. I have also faced same problem last month and then i find a solution online and i decrypt my microsoft word very easily. you can also check the unitepdf site and it is easy to use and convenient.
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