suppressing "convert your encrypted file to Office Open XML format

[paulkon]

I'm using Word 2007. I have a few files, in Word 97-2003 format, that are
encrypted and password protected.

Every time I save such a file, Word suggests that I change it to the Office
Open XML format. I don't want to do that. There is no "don't ask me again"
checkbox.

"This document is both encrypted and password protected. The office open XML
formats available in the 2007 release provide stronger encryption. Do you
want to increase the security of this document by converting to an office
open xml format?"

Does anyone know how to suppress this dialog?

 

[Tony Jollans]

I don't think you can suppress the dialog box but you should be aware that
it means rather more than it says.

I haven't checked out the encryption used on Word 2007 xml files and can't
comment on the effectiveness or otherwise of it, or whether it is the same
as, or stronger or weaker than, any of the methods available in Word 2003.

Word 2003, however, offered several choices of encryption strength. Word
2007, on the other hand, offers no choice for Word 97 - 2003 format .doc
files and simply uses the single method defined at installation. By default
that method is the weak (read: totally insecure) Word 2000-compatible
method.

Word 2007 can decrypt all the methods available in Word 2003 so can open all
old documents but, if you have changed your .doc file and wish to continue
encrypting it, Word 2007 will not continue to use the method you previously
used (except by chance). So, when it tells you that encryption is stronger
on docx files what it really means is that if you don't use the new docx
format your encryption may well be much weaker than it was.