Security is of prime concern to everyone, particularly, the security of computer files and emails. Every piece of information is of value to someone at sometime. Most of us are aware of the security threats present in this connected world, but feel so daunted by technology that we push the matter to the backs of our mind and refuse to do anything about it.
There are multiple solutions available in the market, but some are expensive while others seem too complicated to bother with.
The work-around we normally use, it to keep our laptops under lock & key. That doesn’t really solve anything as it doesn’t address the problem of when the file needs to be shared with others. (Do you attach it in an email saying: “Keep it secret”? How many believe that this actually works?)
What we need, in a world mortally afraid of technology, is a one-click solution.
Microsoft Rights Management
Here’s a one-click solution for you. Well, more than one, but not horrendously complicated.
Microsoft provides a method in all Microsoft Office programs to lock a document so that only the people you allow can open, read or change a document.
Yes, I know that you know about putting passwords on Word documents. Let me point out that putting passwords doesn’t really work. You’d know if you have actually used password protected files. First off, you would need a different password for every document. Second, you would need different passwords for different people according to whom you want to allow changing the document and who may only read it. Then, you would need to remember the passwords for all those different files. See where I am getting at? Now, consider how you inform everyone of all those passwords without the password actually leaking out. That is what I meant when I said that most people just gibber and sweep the problem under the carpet.
Back to the Rights Management.
If you open Microsoft Word or Excel, look at the icon bar.
The fourth icon from the left looks like a page with a stop sign on it. This is the icon that controls who may do what with a document.
The first time that you click on that icon, you will get prompted with a message asking you if you have your own server to manage rights or would you like to use Microsoft’s service. Since most people don’t have their own servers, select to use Microsoft’s free service. Go through the subsequent prompts. That’s going to download and install some additional software from Microsoft’s site. This code is what allows this facility to run.
During the installation, it will ask you for your e-mail address and password. Type in your Hotmail address and password. On the next screen, it will ask for the e-mail address again. Re-type the same Hotmail one.
Once the code is in place, you would have a world of possibilities open to you.
You would be able to specify who may read it, who may copy the content, who may print it and who may change it.
You can also specify that these rights expire after a certain date after which the document won’t open at all.
If a person is allowed only to read a document and he wants to change it, put your regular email address in the box below. MS Word coupled with MS Outlook will allow the other person to send a request with a few mouse clicks only.
Alis volat propriis
Now that you are all set, you have the freedom to distribute files by email, or to place them on shared folders and even on the Internet without the need to worry as to who would access them.
Inter nos
As a bonus, the rights management also works in MS Outlook. You can send emails with gossip about one co-worker to another. The recipient of the email would not be able to copy, print or forward the email. Restrictions: The rights can not be fine-tuned in Outlook; you can’t mark an email to be printable but not forwardable. In Outlook, it is only all or nothing.
Caveat Emptor
There are a few things you must be aware of before you start using Windows Right Management:
- Installation
Only someone with administrative access can install the required software on your computer. If your computer is on an office LAN, you might need to have your administrator do this. - Working with restricted files
You must be connected to the Internet when marking the restrictions for a file. Think about it, it makes sense.
If you receive a file that has been locked by someone else, you must similarly be connected to the Internet in order to open it. Same reason as above.
Restricted emails work only with Microsoft Outlook. You can not open them with Outlook Express or a Web-based email service. - Using the Microsoft Service
The service is free at the moment. That may change in the future. Why not? Enjoy why it lasts. You will get a three-month’s notice before Microsoft closes the free service.
