Password protect word documents?

[Ruahrc]

Is there a way to (securely) password protect a word document to prevent people from modifying it without permission? I found the password protect option in word XP (open a document and go to tools>options and click the security (or something to that effect) tab) but it does not seem very secure. I mean if you set the password so that you can only open it read-only w/o the password, all you have to do is open the document as read only- change what you want, and use the Save as command to save your modified file. The only other option is to require a password to view the document, but that doesn't help much because then nobody can read it, and if they can read it (meaning they have the password) they have full access to modify it.

How is this done?

Thanks

Ruahrc

you could zip the file and use a password then have a password on the document itself......

if your paranoid

[Ruahrc]

But that's not the point of why I want to protect the files. I want people to be able to view the files, just not modify them. I was wondering if this could be done with just Word, or if some other software was needed.

Ruahrc

[goldenbuddha]

I use Adobe Acrobat to solve that issue, sorry if its not for you. But it works real good for my use.

[Jack Hannibal]

Would you be open to converting it to a PDF? Just a thought.

[VHockey86]

of course
What version of word are you using?
In office XP you simply go to Tools --> Options --> Security Tab
Im not sure if its different in older versions or not, havent used them in awhile but I do know that it is possible (Remember doing it with office 97)

[Ruahrc]

Yeah converting it to pdf would work but I don't have the full Acrobat software. I was just curious if this could be done in Word.

VHockey86- I have been to that option tab and maybe I'm doing it wrong but the options you get at that tab don't give complete security, in fact it is very easy to get around (see my original post)

Ruahrc

[cstierhoff]

Word 2000 lets you save with a password so the file can be opened and yet not be modified.

Go to Word 2000 help index and type in 'password' and look for password protection and follow the instructions.

cstierhoff

[VHockey86]

Hmm, well I played around with the settings a little.
I went to the security tab, typed in a password to modify, then selected the "protect document" button where it prompted me to enter a password. With this, when you open the file it prompts for a password, otherwise you can hit the "read-only" button. If anyone attempts to change the document, a log box is inserted on the page that tells what was deleted / added and to where. These stay along with the file thus making it fairly useless to anyone.

What files are you trying to protect such that people can view but not change? I guess im confused what the actual goal you are trying to achieve is

[DVNT1]

I don't have a link handy but there are free tools to convert documents to pdf