Disable password protection on .pst files

[Mary Patricia]

Just wondering if there is a registry key change or something I can do using
the orktools that will prevent users from applying passwords to their .pst
files. This is at the request of our legal department who is concerned that
users may leave and their case files and such are now inaccessible to
everyone. Thanks!

 

[Brian Tillman]

Just wondering if there is a registry key change or something I can
do using the orktools that will prevent users from applying passwords
to their .pst files. This is at the request of our legal department
who is concerned that users may leave and their case files and such
are now inaccessible to everyone. Thanks!

Management should issue a policy that PSTs are not to be password protected
and list the penalties for doing so.

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

FYI and should you require it, google for password recovery and you will
find a free utility you can use should someone password protect a .pst file
and you need access to it.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Mary Patricia asked:

| Just wondering if there is a registry key change or something I can
| do using the orktools that will prevent users from applying passwords
| to their .pst files. This is at the request of our legal department
| who is concerned that users may leave and their case files and such
| are now inaccessible to everyone. Thanks!

 

[Mary Patricia]

We're all agreed that management needs to put in a formal policy but there
is no point in having a policy unless it can be successfully enforced. Our
managers are on board and we are trying to find, specifically, how to
disable the button on the Outlook client that allows a password to go on the
..pst file. So any help with that would be super!

 

[Lisa Parris]

This doesn't answer your question either but in many of the companies I've
dealt with they don't even allow the use of .pst files for this very reason.

What type of environment are you in? Windows Server/Exchange? If you're in a
Windows domain environment you can completely restrict the use of .pst files
via Group Policies. There are also Group Policies you can apply to "disable
command bar buttons and menu items" from within Outlook. I don't see .pst
passwords as a pre-defined item but you can add custom items, if you know
the command bar ID, so it seems like it might be possible if you're using
Group Policies in your environment..

Or you could archive all incoming and outgoing email as it comes and goes
through your system.