Re: encrypting or password protecting files in OpenOffice and also jpg files and sending them to MSWindows users.....
On Friday 27 Nov 2009, Michael Fothergill wrote: Dear Debian folks, I use Open Office. It works OK for me most of the time. It can save files as Microsoft Word documents. I work with people who use MSWindows software all the time such as MSWord etc. I want to send an encrypted or password protected file to them. If you produce a word processor document in MSWord apparently according them you just click on some menu item with encypt on it and it encrypts the document for you. Whether it attaches a password to it as well or how the user at the other end decrypts it I don't know Password-protected Office and ZIP files are so trivial to crack, that you might just as well be sending them in the clear. I'd use GnuPG to encrypt the e-mail message . unless I was sending it over a secure intranet with no outside world access (mailserver behind NAT, on an unroutable address and with no ports -- especially not 25 and 110 -- forwarded to the outside world). In which case, there's no need for encryption anyway. -- AJS -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-amd64-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Re: encrypting or password protecting files in OpenOffice and also jpg files and sending them to MSWindows users.....
Michael Fothergill wrote: Dear Debian folks, I use Open Office. It works OK for me most of the time. It can save files as Microsoft Word documents. I work with people who use MSWindows software all the time such as MSWord etc. I want to send an encrypted or password protected file to them. If you produce a word processor document in MSWord apparently according them you just click on some menu item with encypt on it and it encrypts the document for you. Whether it attaches a password to it as well or how the user at the other end decrypts it I don't know But with OpenOffice it doesn't look like there is an encryption function on it like there is in MSWord but there is a password protection option when you save a file in it. If you look on google for Openoffice stuff on encryption on there it all reads like a chapter from Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce or even that it has itself been partly encrypted. If you want to password protect or encrypt some files reasonably competently and then send them in a format the MSWindows world would decrypt relatively easily what would you do? Do I have to use other software like GnuPGP or whatever it is conjunction with Open Office? Maybe I should just copy the files on to CD and then send them by old fashioned snail mail. That really would confuse the hackers. Suggestions welcome, Michael Fothergill Hi Michael This question probably really belongs on debian-user@ (http://lists.debian.org/debian-user/) as it is not amd64 specific, but anyway... Apparently saving in MS format with password is available or under way in OOo 3.x: https://bugs.launchpad.net/openoffice/+bug/162057 http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=39527 so upgrading may eventually be a solution. Another option is to send a password protected zip file with the document (e.g. http://kagashe.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-password-protect-file-on-linux.html). Zip extraction should be supported out of the box on windows. This is probably as insecure as password protecting the document. Most common email clients support encryption natively or with an add-on, so that you can also go a step further and encrypt the entire communication. Of course this requires some preparation from the participants, unless they already posses encryption keys. However, once set up it gives you strong encryption for all communication and all file types. In some countries signed encryption keys (sometimes called Digital Signatures) are handed out to all citizens for authenticated and secure communication with e.g. governmental bodies. In that case it is easy to just reuse those. Please check Google results for 'gpg YOUR MAIL CLIENT' and 'pgp/gpg RECIPIENT MAIL CLIENT' for details. Cheers, Jonas -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-amd64-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Re: encrypting or password protecting files in OpenOffice and also jpg files and sending them to MSWindows users.....
On Sat 28 November 2009 05:36:29 am Jonas Bardino wrote: Michael Fothergill wrote: Dear Debian folks, I use Open Office. It works OK for me most of the time. It can save files as Microsoft Word documents. I work with people who use MSWindows software all the time such as MSWord etc. I want to send an encrypted or password protected file to them. If you produce a word processor document in MSWord apparently according them you just click on some menu item with encypt on it and it encrypts the document for you. Whether it attaches a password to it as well or how the user at the other end decrypts it I don't know But with OpenOffice it doesn't look like there is an encryption function on it like there is in MSWord but there is a password protection option when you save a file in it. If you look on google for Openoffice stuff on encryption on there it all reads like a chapter from Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce or even that it has itself been partly encrypted. If you want to password protect or encrypt some files reasonably competently and then send them in a format the MSWindows world would decrypt relatively easily what would you do? Do I have to use other software like GnuPGP or whatever it is conjunction with Open Office? Maybe I should just copy the files on to CD and then send them by old fashioned snail mail. That really would confuse the hackers. Suggestions welcome, Michael Fothergill Hi Michael This question probably really belongs on debian-user@ (http://lists.debian.org/debian-user/) as it is not amd64 specific, but anyway... Apparently saving in MS format with password is available or under way in OOo 3.x: https://bugs.launchpad.net/openoffice/+bug/162057 http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=39527 so upgrading may eventually be a solution. Michael, No, that doesn't seem to be an option: Only documents using the OpenOffice.org XML-based format can be saved with a password. The option box grays out when you select MS.DOC format (or even .XML). cmr Another option is to send a password protected zip file with the document (e.g. http://kagashe.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-password-protect-file-on-linux.h tml). Zip extraction should be supported out of the box on windows. This is probably as insecure as password protecting the document. Most common email clients support encryption natively or with an add-on, so that you can also go a step further and encrypt the entire communication. Of course this requires some preparation from the participants, unless they already posses encryption keys. However, once set up it gives you strong encryption for all communication and all file types. In some countries signed encryption keys (sometimes called Digital Signatures) are handed out to all citizens for authenticated and secure communication with e.g. governmental bodies. In that case it is easy to just reuse those. Please check Google results for 'gpg YOUR MAIL CLIENT' and 'pgp/gpg RECIPIENT MAIL CLIENT' for details. Cheers, Jonas -- Debian 'Etch' - Registered Linux User #241964 More laws, less justice. -- Marcus Tullius Ciceroca, 42 BC -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-amd64-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
encrypting or password protecting files in OpenOffice and also jpg files and sending them to MSWindows users.....
Dear Debian folks, I use Open Office. It works OK for me most of the time. It can save files as Microsoft Word documents. I work with people who use MSWindows software all the time such as MSWord etc. I want to send an encrypted or password protected file to them. If you produce a word processor document in MSWord apparently according them you just click on some menu item with encypt on it and it encrypts the document for you. Whether it attaches a password to it as well or how the user at the other end decrypts it I don't know But with OpenOffice it doesn't look like there is an encryption function on it like there is in MSWord but there is a password protection option when you save a file in it. If you look on google for Openoffice stuff on encryption on there it all reads like a chapter from Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce or even that it has itself been partly encrypted. If you want to password protect or encrypt some files reasonably competently and then send them in a format the MSWindows world would decrypt relatively easily what would you do? Do I have to use other software like GnuPGP or whatever it is conjunction with Open Office? Maybe I should just copy the files on to CD and then send them by old fashioned snail mail. That really would confuse the hackers. Suggestions welcome, Michael Fothergill
