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Alex
Name:Alex Dybenko

Location:Moscow, Russia

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

How to remove VBA project password

Originally it was posted for  Excel VBA, but apparently works for Access.

  • Make backup.
  • Open the file with a hexadecimal editor, find the string "DPB" and change it to "DPx".
  • Then you open the file in Excel, switch to the VBA project and change the password (don't remove it, just change it). Save the file, reopen it, go to VBA project (using the password you've just created) and remove the password.

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25 Comments:

Anonymous JP said...

Lest anyone be fooled into thinking VBA projects are secure, let this be a lesson.

9:29 PM  
Anonymous Jon Peltier said...

Despite (the other) JP's comment, this is the kind of information that's better kept quiet.

4:43 AM  
Blogger Alex Dybenko said...

I don't think this is a big secret, if you search for How to remove VBA project password - you will get several hits with same info. This should indicate that "VBA project password" is weak security and you should choose something else.

8:14 AM  
Anonymous Jon Peltier said...

Sure, but FWIW, this post is endorsed by a Microsoft MVP.

6:01 AM  
Blogger Alex Dybenko said...

This is public information, people should be aware of such bugs.

7:44 AM  
Anonymous online back up said...

I'm glad you pointed this out. I didn't know you could remove a VBA project password so easily.

7:08 AM  
Blogger Patrick Honorez said...

And when you see how much some companies charge for a program that does just that...
Thanks for the trick !

12:20 PM  
Anonymous web hosting uk said...

Wow! I am just so awestruck on how easy that was to remove VBA project password. Thank you for the info and I think I'll try other means to secure my excel files.

5:57 AM  
Anonymous seo hosting said...

Thank you for sharing this good info but is there any other way that I can remove the password without downloading the software?

11:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A great little snippet... Lost countless hours with numerous apps offering no recovery. this snippet literally saved my life... thank you so much

11:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is there a solution for access?

6:13 AM  
Blogger Alex Dybenko said...

Try http://www.everythingaccess.com

10:56 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It worked for me for access
ui have access 2013 :)

5:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

one thing actually
it didnt work with access database that has a user-level security or workgroup securtiy
donno i will keep tryin but it worked for many datbases on my pc

5:46 PM  
Blogger Alex Dybenko said...

I think you have to turn off user-level security first...

5:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

but sir u cannot do so unless u unlock the VBA of the user-level secured database
i don't have access to it

9:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

is there anyway to reverse the user level security process??
any tools or software??

6:58 PM  
Blogger Alex Dybenko said...

Look at http://www.everythingaccess.com/

10:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

mmm thank you for your help
this is a great site
i earned much from it but still didn't get what i want
i searched the whole web about unlocking the workgroup security level but nothing serious
:(

11:45 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Any help??

i found lots of DPBs in the database, which one to change??

is there any clue ??
this method worked for some VBA protected databases, but for this one with MDW file and user-level and security didn't work
any help??

6:15 PM  
Blogger Alex Dybenko said...

Why dont you ask http://www.everythingaccess.com ?
I think they will help you, at least you can try...

6:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

great article thanks for the advice - you pulled me out of a hole after i inherited a password protected access mbd project ( it was the VBA script which was protected)

9:36 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

How do you open this file in Excel from a hexadecimal editor?

11:47 PM  
Blogger Alex Dybenko said...

Close Excel, run editor and open excel file there

9:08 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It works in Access too! Confirmed. Thanks a lot!

12:16 AM  

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