Word 2003 Password Protection

Josh · 14 May 2015 at 14:14

I have a document password locked on the open file stage of Word 2003.

The member of staff who did that left the job 2 years ago and nobody else knows the password.

I've tried the script editor but due to the open file stage it displays nothing.

I've tried most the save as .rtf and .html all with no joy.

When I mention the 40 bit encryption on Word 2003 to people they just look as if to say "fix it".

So Windows gods, any ideas what I can try before I tell my boss it's futile.

asim18 · 14 May 2015 at 15:40

Email it to the guy who left, maybe he'll decrypt it.

Josh · 14 May 2015 at 15:42

asim18 said:
Email it to the guy who left, maybe he'll decrypt it.

That was my first idea, was poo'pooed very quickly, "that isn't the done thing".

Grey M@a · 14 May 2015 at 15:48

Had something similar with a 2007 doc and used Word 2010 to get around it, this is what I did:

Open up a blank document
Go to Insert - drop down arrow next to Object - Text from File.
Select your password-protected document and hit Insert.

The only downside to this is that its formatting will most likely be a little messed up, but the entire document will be dumped into your new document with no protection at all. I just tried this again with both a doc file and a docx file in Word 2010 and it still worked.

Hopefully this will get around it for you.

hyperseven · 14 May 2015 at 15:57

Get a brute force or dictionary attack program.

@grey doubt that will work on encrypted files

Grey M@a · 14 May 2015 at 16:01

hyperseven said:
Get a brute force or dictionary attack program.

@grey doubt that will work on encrypted files

Missed the encryption bit and noticed the password protected part.

As you say though, bit of google fu might show some brute force scripts to get around it

I've done similar with Excel files we get but you can use vb script in macro's to remove the passwords.