Mankind owns a great deal of information, and the Internet allows access too much of it. But not all information is public. It is not only about classified files for special services. The issue of sensitive information protection can be important for large companies, certain organizations and even ordinary users. Document security allows people to hide personal data, bank accounts, intellectual property and other things from prying eyes.
There are many ways and methods to store information, but one of the most proven and widely used is the password. Password protection importance has been confirmed many times, even in domestic conditions, for example, protection of a phone, bank card or personal computer. But how to use it correctly? All answers will be found.
How to Password Protect a Word Document
An ordinary document created in a text editor can be protected using a standard tool. The most common editor is Microsoft Word. The following instructions will allow users to apply password protect Word document.
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Begin the process. Use a text editor to create or open a prepared document.
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Go to the main menu. Click the “File” tab on the top panel.
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Select an option. Look through the list of functions in the “Info” tab and select the “secure Word document” option.
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Launch protection. Click on the “Encrypt with password” function.
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Create a password. Enter the secret word you came up with and repeat it again.
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Lock it. Confirm the document encryption action, and it will be protected.
After closing the editor, open the encrypted document again and check if it worked.
Can You Password Protect a Google Doc?
Many user documents are stored in cloud storage. But this type of storage is already secure and requires no additional action for Google Docs security. Here’s why:
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Access to cloud storage is inherently tamper-proof. Only authorized users with permission can get there.
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Instead of password protecting Google Docs, users can change the document’s access settings. The file will be hidden from everyone, access will be opened only by a link or the user can specify a specific user that can open the document.
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While the server is storing the file, all documents are subjected to Google Drive encryption. Even when sending a file via Gmail, this protection system is activated.
Users who work with the Google platform and all services can not worry about the security of information.
Advanced Security: Encrypting Your Documents
A deeper level of document encryption can be achieved with services that specialize in advanced security measures. A specialized encryption service creates a conditional communication channel between the user and the cloud storage. All information that is sent from the user’s device first goes through the encryption process on the server and is then sent to storage. The reverse reading process is done in the same way and protects against theft of files and information. If an intruder is able to penetrate the storage, the information will not be disclosed because it has not gone through the server for decryption.
Such a scheme is applied by Google as a standard to ensure Google Docs encryption. All information that is stored on the servers of the company necessarily goes through the process of encryption and fragmentation. Pieces of one file can be stored in all corners of the world, in places that few people know about. And only when a user requests a document will it be sent to the server again, reassembled into a complete file, and given to the user.
Sharing Securely: Tips for Password-Protected Documents
To achieve the highest possible level of security, users can take advantage of some of these tips as a supplement to their primary defense system.
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Choose a trusted service. Users are advised to use only reputable and certified services for sharing password-protected documents. Don’t pay attention to the advertising or popularity of the service, it doesn’t always live up to expectations.
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Encryption through. This is an effective method that is very likely to protect the communication channel. Ask how to use “end-to-end encryption” in your work environment or software.
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Control access. Don’t be lazy to check if your cloud storage, folder or document is private. Sometimes it happens that when you transferred a document earlier, the access was open but not closed.
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Set a strong password. Do not use combinations of simple characters in a row or numbers in a row. Make up a more complex password, change the case, and use numbers and punctuation. Even if this is intercepted during secure document sharing, there is a good chance it will not be compromised.
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Take care of the protection yourself. Now even typical messengers can provide password communication and two-step authentication. This may not always be convenient if we are talking about a messenger, but it is reliable.
Users should always remember that the responsibility for security and protection is primarily up to the user, and passwords and encryption are additional lines of defense.
Troubleshooting Common Password Protection Issues
No one is immune to forgetting a password. The main thing in such a situation is not to panic, take a deep breath and try some of the suggested methods.
Double-check yourself
Sometimes it happens that password protection issues occur through inattention. The user may forget to change the keyboard layout, use the wrong character as input from a computer, and later from a smartphone. You should also pay attention to the correctness of the selected account, if there are several.
Recovery
Very often, there is a built-in password recovery function. It can be a hint, a secret word or recovery via a user account if it is cloud storage. This is a common encryption problem among web users, so an alternative path is often present.
Client Service
When working with online services or platforms, it is often possible to contact customer service for assistance. The user will have to go through a small verification process to confirm their identity, and the problem can be solved.
Specialist help
In some cases, it is not possible to recover a password on your own, especially if it is a local document. Fortunately, there are specialists that understand troubleshooting document security and can crack it. There are no big guarantees of success; it may take a lot of time and cost some money. You have to decide if the document is really that important.
The best way to avoid such problems is to store passwords securely via special applications on devices. The classic method of writing down a password in a notebook and hiding it in a table is still valid.
Alternatives to Password Protection in Google Docs
Some users are distrustful of the standard level of document encryption by password and want more advanced security. In this case the user will have to resort to third-party encryption tools additional software for advanced access permissions. How does this work?
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The user finds the desired encryption software and installs it on their device.
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Creates and encrypts a Word document using the built-in text editor function.
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Runs the encryption software and encrypts it additionally.
Some of the encryptors can help with Google Docs alternatives encryption and change the format of the document on their own, even before uploading it to cloud storage. But in that case, the user will need to use the encryption program again to open this.
Conclusion: Enhancing Your Document Protection Strategy
Every user wants to be secure and protect their files, but to do so, you need to take steps:
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Set passwords for important files and documents
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Don’t neglect security rules, create strong passwords to protect your security
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Use only quality service providers
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Use additional security methods like two-step verification for enhancing security
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Don’t forget encryption importance, because cloud storage providers can guarantee the security of information on the server, but they cannot guarantee the security of users’ communication channel
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Use alternative and complementary services or software to maximize the protection level.
This document protection strategy will help users be fully protected and have peace of mind about the integrity of their data.