Security for slides

[Jan Il]

Hi all - PPT 2000

I discovered yesterday that someone is messing with my schematics in my
server folder. Since it is a folder assigned to me, it would make common
sense that it has to be someone from IT.

I first noticed that some text was changed. I always use Ariel, the changed
test was New Times Roman. I tried to give the benefit of a doubt and think
that something had somehow changed it, so I changed it back. Then I noticed
that some of the shapes on the schematics were changed. This was sorta the
clue...as text might somehow be changed, but...not shapes....or am I wrong
in this thinking. The change in the shapes were size...color fill..
placement.

'k...I don't really want to go to the extent of presenting questions to the
IT head unless I am sure of where I speak. I really prefer to keep him the
idiot than me, so...that is why I am asking..is there some sort of situation
that might these types of situations?

To say I'm really hot over this puts it lightly! Someone wants to
play...but....given this is a family ng...I'll just say that I want their
dang ears!!

Jan

 

[Jan Il]

Dang this stupid keyboard! My old one passed away a while back, and I had
to get a new one. So I got one of the ergonomic ones, with the split
keyboard. You'd think after 3 months the dumb thing would bet used to me,
but, maybe it's 'cause my hands aren't split. Geeze...I just dunno....???

 

[Glen Millar]

Windie,

Have you gone to the file properties to see who saved it last?

--
Regards,

Glen Millar
Microsoft PPT MVP
http://www.powerpointworkbench.com/
Please tell us your ppt version, and get back to us here
Remove spaces from signature

 

[Echo S]

Well, as far as I know, you're correct: While text and textbox sizes
have been known to change on a save and reopen, it would be highly
unusual for an autoshape to be changed--especially *all* the values of
size, fill and placement!

I hope others can confirm, though. Especially you programmers!

It doesn't help for this file, but you might consider placing a modify
password on the presentations, Jan. PPT 2002 can do that. You can make a
copy of the file and remove the password when you're ready to send out
the file for people to review so it doesn't screw them up. That way
you'll still have a protected original.

Check Tools/Options/Security for setting the password.

Oh, nuts. I just saw that you're using 2000. I forgot--you have 2002 at
home.
Nevermind.

 

[Steve Rindsberg, PPTMVP]

We've seen and heard of Arial changing to TNR w/o any help from the user, so
I wouldn't use that as evidence of meddling, Jan.

Check the file dates. If it were me, my first thought would be "Steve, you
saved it to the default location again w/o making sure that PPT was going
where you wanted it to go today and it wasn't."

Want me to bring the t-shirt to PPTLive? ;-)

Look at the PPT's properties (Open in PPT, File, Properties). On one of the
tabs, there's a "Last Saved By" record. That should tell you who's touched
the file last.

--

Steve Rindsberg PPT MVP
PPTLive ( http://www.pptlive.com ) Featured Speaker
PPTools: http://www.pptools.com
PPT FAQ: http://www.pptfaq.com

 

[Jan Il]

Hi Glen!

Windie,

Have you gone to the file properties to see who saved it last?

Yes I did, but, I was in a meeting all afternoon Friday and our HR closes at
4:00, so haven't had a chance to check with our HR or IT yet.

Jan

 

[Jan Il]

Hi Steve!

We've seen and heard of Arial changing to TNR w/o any help from the user, so
I wouldn't use that as evidence of meddling, Jan.

Yeah, I've had that happen a time or two also, so that is why I did not get
too upset with the text change. However, the differences in the shapes is
what really made me suspicious. I had to add a couple of new switches to the
schematic two days before and printed it out. So I know what they looked
like two days previous. I never work from the server, I always work from my
hard drive, but, we have to backup all files to the server everyday for
'safe keeping'.

It really looked different. What I mean by that is, some of the color fills
in some of the shapes was way off from the colors of the other schematics in
which I used the same colors. Some of the shapes were smaller, some in
different alignment. I've worked with this stuff long enough I can
understand that line attributes can change, and a good many other things can
happen. But, when you know your work and how it should look, even subtle
changes catch your eye.

I have had someone in IT mess with one of my Access databases on the server,
too. They admitted to opening it to look at it, but, they denied making any
changes. However, they did. Mostly forms, but they also changed some of the
command button codes and query SQL's. I wound up having to come up with some
pretty tight security to keep hands off. While I back up everything to
CD's, it is good to have a server backup too.

Check the file dates. If it were me, my first thought would be "Steve, you
saved it to the default location again w/o making sure that PPT was going
where you wanted it to go today and it wasn't."

I did that, and I checked the dates against the one I saved on my hard
drive, the work copy, and the date of the backup copy on the server. The
date for the one on the server was not the same as the one on my hard drive,
leading me to think, perhaps wrongly, that the original had been
modified/replaced.

Want me to bring the t-shirt to PPTLive? ;-)

Look at the PPT's properties (Open in PPT, File, Properties). On one of the
tabs, there's a "Last Saved By" record. That should tell you who's touched
the file last.

I did check this and saw the name, but I didn't know it. I think I'll make
a screen shot of it for backup. However, our IT has blanket authority
to do anything they want with the computers and files. They don't really
have to have a reason.

But, this is the second time someone has messed with some of my
files on the server, and not just me. I can yell my head off about it, but,
doubt it will do any good. I think the best thing is for me to put some
security in place. I never thought of anyone messing with my PPT files,
so I haven't done this with PPT before, and not sure which would work best.

Jan

 

[Jan Il]

Hi Echo!

Well, as far as I know, you're correct: While text and textbox sizes
have been known to change on a save and reopen, it would be highly
unusual for an autoshape to be changed--especially *all* the values of
size, fill and placement!

I hope others can confirm, though. Especially you programmers!

It doesn't help for this file, but you might consider placing a modify
password on the presentations, Jan. PPT 2002 can do that. You can make a
copy of the file and remove the password when you're ready to send out
the file for people to review so it doesn't screw them up. That way
you'll still have a protected original.

Check Tools/Options/Security for setting the password.

Oh, nuts. I just saw that you're using 2000. I forgot--you have 2002 at
home.
Nevermind.

<giggle>...I do that too. I work in 2002 most of the time at home, and I go
to work and start looking for a function or animation and it's not there.
I'm hunting all over like a hound on a fox, getting more frustrated by the
minute, and it suddenly dawns on me I'm in 2000. By the end of the week, I
have 4" deep keyboard imprints in my forehead. The ride home on the Trolley
everyday is like a bunch'a Veterans sitting around swapping war stories.
They look at ya for a minute and then ask, 'How'd ya get yours?" ;-))


Jan

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP]
http://www.echosvoice.com

Hi all - PPT 2000

I discovered yesterday that someone is messing with my schematics in my
server folder. Since it is a folder assigned to me, it would make common
sense that it has to be someone from IT.

I first noticed that some text was changed. I always use Ariel, the changed
test was New Times Roman. I tried to give the benefit of a doubt and think
that something had somehow changed it, so I changed it back. Then I noticed
that some of the shapes on the schematics were changed. This was sorta the
clue...as text might somehow be changed, but...not shapes....or am I wrong
in this thinking. The change in the shapes were size...color fill..
placement.

'k...I don't really want to go to the extent of presenting questions to the
IT head unless I am sure of where I speak. I really prefer to keep him the
idiot than me, so...that is why I am asking..is there some sort of situation
that might these types of situations?

To say I'm really hot over this puts it lightly! Someone wants to
play...but....given this is a family ng...I'll just say that I want their
dang ears!!

Jan

 

[Steve Rindsberg, PPTMVP]

I did check this and saw the name, but I didn't know it. I think I'll make

a screen shot of it for backup. However, our IT has blanket authority
to do anything they want with the computers and files. They don't really
have to have a reason.

I'd document this one *very* thoroughly (w/o pointing fingers at anyone in
particular unless it's really necessary). And then make sure it's
understood that if they're permitted to change the drawings, you won't take
responsibility for the results.

Alternatively: keep a local set to do your work on and periodically dump
them to the server, overwriting whatever's there. IOW, the "real" copy is
always the one on your computer, the server's just there for backup. Any
changes anyone else makes either have to go through you to get into your
"real" drawings. If they change the copies on the server, their changes get
stomped on next time you copy your real ones over there. Tough.

 

[Jan Il]

I'd document this one *very* thoroughly (w/o pointing fingers at anyone in
particular unless it's really necessary). And then make sure it's
understood that if they're permitted to change the drawings, you won't take
responsibility for the results.

Alternatively: keep a local set to do your work on and periodically dump
them to the server, overwriting whatever's there. IOW, the "real" copy is
always the one on your computer, the server's just there for backup. Any
changes anyone else makes either have to go through you to get into your
"real" drawings. If they change the copies on the server, their changes get
stomped on next time you copy your real ones over there. Tough.

Oh..you know I will have a few choice words with our IT Bozo on this
issue...and I have my bosses backing. But, with our IT, it is usless to
point fingers, even with solid proof. So, like with my databases, I make
sure I have backups on CD and I keep the copies on my home computer updated
as well. I do the majority of the work at home anyway, so I always have
copies there, and when I do any updates to the copies at home or at work, I
always update on the other end either way. The original copy is always on
my work computer since I don't work from the server but from my hard drive.
I just backup to the server.

I'll play around in the security stuff, passwords and what not, and see what
I can do.....besides lock myself out...(BTDT) <g>

Thanks for all your input, Steve, I really appreciate it.

Jan

 

[Glen Millar]

Windie,

Remind me at pptlive to tell you the yarn about how I caught someone making
changes to something. Ask about carbon paper and dairy cows!

Just a bit of info about name changes to the properties. If the last Saved
By is unrecognisable:

It is not often the name of the person using the machine that is there, but
the name of the person as held by the computer when logged on. I've seen
presentations saved by "A Satisfied Microsoft Customer" <g>.

--
Regards,

Glen Millar
Microsoft PPT MVP
http://www.powerpointworkbench.com/
Please tell us your ppt version, and get back to us here

 

[Jan Il]

Hey Glen!

Windie,

Remind me at pptlive to tell you the yarn about how I caught someone making
changes to something. Ask about carbon paper and dairy cows!

Carbon paper...dairy cows??? Oh...well....Glen...you just really know how to
reach out there and grab someones interest, don'cha! Now you know I'll

Just a bit of info about name changes to the properties. If the last Saved
By is unrecognisable:

It is not often the name of the person using the machine that is there, but
the name of the person as held by the computer when logged on. I've seen
presentations saved by "A Satisfied Microsoft Customer" <g>.

'k...ya mean..if it's like.."Sgt. Pepper's Yellow Submarine"...then alI I
have to do is find a Beatles fan with pepper seeds in their teeth, and
mustard on their shirt from the Italian sub they had for lunch....right?

Jan

 

[Jan Il]

Hey Glen!


Carbon paper...dairy cows??? Oh...well....Glen...you just really know how to
reach out there and grab someones interest, don'cha! Now you know I'll


'k...ya mean..if it's like.."Sgt. Pepper's Yellow Submarine"...then alI I
have to do is find a Beatles fan with pepper seeds in their teeth, and
mustard on their shirt from the Italian sub they had for lunch....right?
Windie...;-))) always

 

[Steve Rindsberg, PPTMVP]

It is not often the name of the person using the machine that is there,
but

the name of the person as held by the computer when logged on. I've seen
presentations saved by "A Satisfied Microsoft Customer" <g>.

Clearly a pseudonym and more to the point, one that demands that you
recognize it as one. ;-)

As any program manager at MS knows, users are never satisfied. More. We
always want MORE!

 

[John O]

I'll play around in the security stuff, passwords and what not, and see
what

I can do.....besides lock myself out...(BTDT) <g>

Some time ago I had a need to open a PDF that a former employee had locked.
For about $50 I was in the file in a snap. The same tools are available for
Office, in case you lock yourself out. ;-)

What I learned from this is that I was fooling myself about document
security tools. OK for basic stuff, but the IT guys might know how to get in
too.

Ya have to seriously worry about your IT guys' ethics, Jan. If they're
touching your stuff and making changes, what's to say they're not touching
stuff central to the operation (finance) of the business? That's the
question that should get somebody's attention.

John O

 

[Jan Il]

Hi John!

Some time ago I had a need to open a PDF that a former employee had locked.
For about $50 I was in the file in a snap. The same tools are available for
Office, in case you lock yourself out. ;-)

What I learned from this is that I was fooling myself about document
security tools. OK for basic stuff, but the IT guys might know how to get in
too.

This is true. If all of our IT people really knew anything to speak of about
the various programs we have, I wouldn't even waste my time to try. But,
most of the IT people are Interns....just barely paper trained when we get
them, and they generally manage to move on to bigger and better things as
soon as they manage to discover the doggie door, even if they don't really
know what it's for.

Ya have to seriously worry about your IT guys' ethics, Jan. If they're
touching your stuff and making changes, what's to say they're not touching
stuff central to the operation (finance) of the business? That's the
question that should get somebody's attention.

Accounting, Operations, Administrative and Executive files are guarded much
more aggressively, and only certain people have access to these files. Like
many others, my files are considered low restriction, they are not viewed as
being that important. Like I said, I'm not paranoid, and I feel assured that
all necessary precautions and security and such are in place for the
sensitive and confidential files, as required by our Parent Co., but, that
does not stop the curious or whatever from playing with what they do have
available to them. It may be that the type of work I, and a few others do,
in some instances perhaps, are a bit out of the ordinary, therefore, may be
of interest to some. However, if they really want to know, all they have to
do is ask.

I told them that I would no longer store any of my files on the server and
why. I have other avenues of backup available, so I will no longer be
responsible for anything that shows up in my server assigned folder. What
they do, or don't do, I'll surely never know. I've done all that I
can....server wise. But, they also have access at any time to my computer,
and can do whatever, even on the weekends. That is why I thought of some
sort of security on that level. But, I guess as long as I have my backup
CD's all the time, with a set hidden, if they manage to get past the
security, I'll have a clean backup. It does pay to be a packrat ;-)

Jan

 

[John O]

But, they also have access at any time to my computer,

and can do whatever, even on the weekends. That is why I thought of some
sort of security on that level. But, I guess as long as I have my backup
CD's all the time, with a set hidden, if they manage to get past the
security, I'll have a clean backup. It does pay to be a packrat ;-)

You can hide stuff in plain sight. With the restrictions they've put on your
system, can you create a hidden folder? Lots of possibilities there...

John O

 

[Jan Il]

But, they also have access at any time to my computer, a packrat ;-)

You can hide stuff in plain sight. With the restrictions they've put on your
system, can you create a hidden folder? Lots of possibilities there...

John O

Now there's an idea of interest...but, I've never done
that before. I might be able to, as I have finally managed
to get a folder on my C: drive that I can control, but,
not sure to what degree.

Is there a Help file for this, or a website where I can
get more information on how to do this? I'd like to at
least give it a try.

Thanks John!

Jan

 

[Jan Il]

Hi John!

You can hide stuff in plain sight. With the restrictions they've put on your
system, can you create a hidden folder? Lots of possibilities there...

John O

Well....I finally found out how to do a hidden folder. It was a *lot*
easier than I thought it was going to be. (Whew!!)
I tested it on my home computer first and it worked like a charm. Can't see
it at all! ;-)))

Ahm....just one thing, though......see... the folder got moved from where it
was first created, and.....so.....umm....now I can't find it...either...???

 

[John O]

Ahm....just one thing, though......see... the folder got moved from where
it

was first created, and.....so.....umm....now I can't find

it...either...???

Ah, the IT guys were in there, huh? ;-) No problem.

You're on Win 2k, right? Open Windows Explorer, Tools > Folder Options

View Tab.

Click the Show Hidden Files and Folders button.

Click the Reset all folders button.

You'll have to go backwards to turn this off, naturally.

John O