Encryption & digital signature issues

[Guest]

I am looking into digital signatures with Word97 documents. I would like to
let my users choose a password that will be collected and saved (encrypted)
in an external .ini file.

When they complete a document they will choose their name from a drop-down
field then click a "Sign Note" button on a toolbar which would then prompt
them to enter their password. If the passwords match, then a line of text
will be added to the document indicating that the file has been
electronically signed. Then the file will be saved (probably using the
saveas writepassword property).

A few questions:

1) How do I encrypt the password in the external file? I plan on using a
userform to collect the names and passwords (plus some other information
like a user ID & site number).

2) Does the WritePassword provide "good enough" protection? I would like
the document's author to have future write access to the file (honestly,
even if the file could never be written to again, that wouldn't be bad
either). I don't want to encrypt the file, just protect it.

3) Any tips/direction from those who have done this type of work before?
I've been reading a few articles on the net, and I really feel like I'm out
swimming here without a solid direction.

-Brian

 

[Jonathan West]

I am looking into digital signatures with Word97 documents. I would like to
let my users choose a password that will be collected and saved (encrypted)
in an external .ini file.

When they complete a document they will choose their name from a drop-down
field then click a "Sign Note" button on a toolbar which would then prompt
them to enter their password. If the passwords match, then a line of text
will be added to the document indicating that the file has been
electronically signed. Then the file will be saved (probably using the
saveas writepassword property).

A few questions:

1) How do I encrypt the password in the external file? I plan on using a
userform to collect the names and passwords (plus some other information
like a user ID & site number).

2) Does the WritePassword provide "good enough" protection? I would like
the document's author to have future write access to the file (honestly,
even if the file could never be written to again, that wouldn't be bad
either). I don't want to encrypt the file, just protect it.

3) Any tips/direction from those who have done this type of work before?
I've been reading a few articles on the net, and I really feel like I'm out
swimming here without a solid direction.

You are right to be feeling that way. The problem is that Word documents are
inherently insecure. Even if a document is protected with a write password,
all that does is make life a bit harder for somebody who wants to crack it.
All they have to do is insert the document into new a blank document, save
it, delete the old document and rename the new one.

If you can read a document, you can find a way of editing it.

In my opinion, you need to go back to first principles and think about what
you are trying to achieve. Would you like to describe in general terms what
you are wanting to do, without mentioning any specific application? Somebody
might be able to help point you in a useful direction.