Word 2008 encryption type

[gab43]

Version: 2008 Hi,

I created a document on Word 2007 in Vista and protected it with a long (>20 c.) password. I understand the default encryption algorithm for such a docx file is AES 128-bit. I sent it to a friend who has Word 2008 for Mac. He can open it fine, but if he tries to modify and save it, or even save it with another name as-is, he gets the warning "password too long". He must use a shorter password to save it.
Does this mean his Word 2008 is using the "weak" Office 97-2000 compatible encryption?
How can he save the document using strong encryption?

Best Regards,
Gabriel.

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Gabriel:

I don't really know what that means.

Just check that he is saving the document in .docx (XML format). AES128 is
not supported in the old formats.

Many Mac users have their default save method set to the older .doc format
in the belief that using the older format will give them greater
"compatibility".

It doesn't, but it does disable various features that are possible only in
the new file formats, one of which is AES128 or AES256 encryption.

If he attempts to save the document as .doc, Word will indeed downgrade the
encryption level to RC4, and if the password is too long for RC4, it will
warn you.

Hope this helps

Version: 2008 Hi,

I created a document on Word 2007 in Vista and protected it with a long (>20
c.) password. I understand the default encryption algorithm for such a docx
file is AES 128-bit. I sent it to a friend who has Word 2008 for Mac. He can
open it fine, but if he tries to modify and save it, or even save it with
another name as-is, he gets the warning "password too long". He must use a
shorter password to save it.
Does this mean his Word 2008 is using the "weak" Office 97-2000 compatible
encryption?
How can he save the document using strong encryption?

Best Regards,
Gabriel.

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[gab43]

Hi John,

Thank you for your answer. Please let me be more precise. He tells me that when he saves the document as a docx (Word 2008 for Mac or Word 2007 for Windows format) he is allowed up to 19 characters for the password. In Word 2007, you can use up to 255 characters.
Is he doing something wrong or does Word 2008, while still using AES128, limit the length of the password to 19 characters?

Thanks,
Gabriel

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Gabriel:

Damn! Sorry, my mistake: I did not read the "fine print" closely enough.

Mac Word 2008 can READ AES 128, but it would appear that it cannot WRITE it
(as usual, Microsoft help does not give a straight answer to the
question...)

It would appear that the highest encryption Mac Word 2008 can write is RC4,
and the password limit is 15 characters.

Cheers

Hi John,

Thank you for your answer. Please let me be more precise. He tells me that
when he saves the document as a docx (Word 2008 for Mac or Word 2007 for
Windows format) he is allowed up to 19 characters for the password. In Word
2007, you can use up to 255 characters.
Is he doing something wrong or does Word 2008, while still using AES128, limit
the length of the password to 19 characters?

Thanks,
Gabriel

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]