UKC

anybody know where I can download a free tool to crack a password on an excel spreadsheet? anybody even used one before that they can comment on?

In reply to sam_seed:

i tried a whole bunch and they all failed to work....can't remeber the names but i got them via www.download.com

In reply to sam_seed: passware seems to crack most things

In reply to sam_seed:
Google for excel pasword cracking, you should find many tools / services. Just make sure that your firewall is good as some of the sites may not be particularly wholesome.

If the workbook is protected so that you cannot open it, you may not have much luck uless you pay for the service, or use a brute force attack which can take time. If a sheet is protected or macros are protected, then there are many around. I use an addin called simply enough "Password Remover".

Passware excel key and vba key demos are free and give you the first few letters, if the password is simple, you could then try a dictionary attack.

In reply to sam_seed:
try a search of the forum:http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/search.php?sid=f50d2656c1df88451354fb5b516d9d...

In reply to sam_seed: Thanks guys, tried google and it gave me a load of ones i'd have to pay fo which I would do but i've no card on me and i'm in a bit of a rush as usual. so i was sorta looking for ones that folk had tried and tested. any of you had a good experience with this type of thing?

In reply to sam_seed:
What type of password is it?

This may help
http://www.straxx.com/excel/password.html

In reply to sam_seed: Go to openoffice.org you can get free software there that does the same as microsoft office. It will open all your microsoft stuff with no probs. You should find it works just about the same.

In reply to climberguy: that won't help the op get around a password!

In reply to Ian Straton:

No - I tried it earlier to find out if it would and it won't...

In reply to Richard: Yeah it's proving quite hard to shift this...I didn't think the encryption would be up to much. Trouble is I’m even reluctant to buy one in case it just says - sorry password not found or something.

In reply to sam_seed:

Use Passware. You have to buy, but it works.

http://www.lostpassword.com/excel.htm

In reply to ChrisJD: Thanks guys - ended up buying that passware. It does what it says on the tin & very quickly too. Big thanks to Andrew who went above and beyond.

See, now I'm wondering whether telling him all this is wise. He might be trying to break into a highly confidential document. All sounds a bit Computer Misuse Act to me.

In reply to darren-surrey:

then they should be using PGP or something instead and encrypting the folder, trusting microsoft suckers
Besides didnt think the advice was illegal yet, although the planned law revisions will make selling hacking stuff illegal, which does put a question mark on companies selling this gear

apologies for turning a joke into a serious comment.

In reply to dissonance:

no probs. actually i wasnt refering to the advice but what'd be done with the advice.

In reply to darren-surrey:


If they want confidentiality they should use better encryption. PGP with a 128 bit key would put any normal bod off unless they have a mate at GCHQ or the NSA.