I have a client who has a few word files he password protected a couple years ago, but he can't remember the password to save his life. I've done some google reading and tried a couple brute force programs but haven't had any luck. The were most probably created with Word XP but maybe 2003. He's not a particularly clever guy, and his passwords are rarely complicated, so I was hoping for a weak password and the brute forcers would find it but no suck luck yet.

Does anyone know of a better way to get into these files?

(I have a 2.8GHz Dual Core system if that helps).

8/8/2006 12:16:21 AM

Brute force is the only way

Password recovery isn't supported by Microsoft.

8/8/2006 12:47:28 AM

Quote :

"When a Microsoft Word document has protection for forms turned on, the password for the protection feature is stored in the Word document. When this document is saved into a HTML document, the password stored in the Word document is placed in hash form in the w:UnprotectPassword header field within the HTML document. This provides an easy method of discovering where the password is located in the original Word document and then nulling it out with a hex editor."

Have fun

8/8/2006 1:48:03 AM

"Protection for forms" is a different thing.

8/8/2006 1:49:37 AM

http://www.freewordexcelpassword.com/index.php?id=download

You're right gargs. This one is free and will get it in a day or two brute.

If he created em with 2003 usign IRM you are shit out of luck

8/8/2006 2:49:36 AM

use the vcl

8/8/2006 3:37:06 AM

^^ its only going to to get it a day or two if the password length is 7 or under right?

8/8/2006 9:20:38 AM

hopefully it doesnt use all of unicode, and just ascii

8/8/2006 1:09:44 PM

as long as its ascii, it can be cracked in a day or two ^yep

8/8/2006 1:20:22 PM