Read only

kinkine

Hi Guys, apologies in advance if this is in the wrong place. I have just got a new laptop and it has MS Word Starter 2010 on it. How do I make a document read only? I have searched and searched online and am not getting anywhere. Thanks.

googler

Tools, Options, Security

If that doesn't apply to your version, open Help and search 'Read Only' within your version

paddyrg

You can also set the file attributes to read-only, or publish it as a pdf which is a format designed to be darned difficult to edit.

kinkine

Thank you - I have tried searching the help in my version but it takes me to Office Microsoft and then doesn't seem to have an option for Starter 2010.

I can't find tools, options, security (numpty alert!).

I take it if I save as a PDF then no one can change it eg if I e-mail it to them? Thanks again.

tyllwyd

I think this is probably not supported in Word Starter 2010
http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/starter-help/word-features-that-are-not-fully-supported-in-word-starter-HA010374498.aspx

From that page "You cannot turn document protection on or off. If you open a document that has protection turned on, you can make changes only where you have permission to do so."

It is possible to edit pdfs, so I wouldn't rely on that.

securityguy

kinkine wrote: »

I take it if I save as a PDF then no one can change it eg if I e-mail it to them? Thanks again.

No, you cannot assume that. It may or may not be possible to detect the changes with forensic tools, and you can make the task of making the changes quite difficult. But it is perfectly possible to make changes to any PDF document, no matter what protections are in place, that will not be detectable by the casual reader who is not starting from a position of being suspicious. There are techniques for ensuring that documents are not changed, or more importantly that any such changes are detectable. "Save it as PDF" is not one of those techniques.

Cycrow

anyone with the right software can edit PDF's files, its just that the software is separate to the reader, so not as many people have/use it

paddyrg

Remember that no matter what you do, someone can always scan/OCR/recreate the document. If you want to be actually secure and trustworthy, print the document and use a security serial numbered breakapart/VOID sticker on it

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=void+sticker&tbm=isch

PDF just makes it harder work for anyone determined to adjust a document.

You could also try printing and scanning the document in a slightly unusual font - then sending it as a lower resolution jpeg. It'll make it a bigger pain to adjust without the adjustments standing out.

If it's less of a deal, turn on revision tracking in Word which depending how smart the would-be fraudster is will show up changes if they don't disable it.

kinkine

tyllwyd wrote: »

I think this is probably not supported in Word Starter 2010
http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/starter-help/word-features-that-are-not-fully-supported-in-word-starter-HA010374498.aspx

From that page "You cannot turn document protection on or off. If you open a document that has protection turned on, you can make changes only where you have permission to do so."

It is possible to edit pdfs, so I wouldn't rely on that.

Thanks Tyllwyd, I had found that page, but hadn't registered "document protection" as "read only". I was skimming for "read only"!