XL2002: Possible to Obtain Password to SQL Database Attached to OWC PivotTable in Excel 2002 (828696)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 2002

For a Microsoft Office Excel 2003 version of this article, see 828695.

SYMPTOMS

When you connect to an Office Web Component (OWC) PivotTable in your Web browser, and then click Export to Excel, you may be able to obtain the password to the SQL database that is connected to the PivotTable.

CAUSE

This problem may occur when Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) is used to connect your OWC PivotTable to your SQL database.

The password to your SQL database can be easily obtained after the PivotTable has been exported to Excel if you use Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) commands that are similar to the following in the Visual Basic Editor in Excel:

ActiveCell.PivotTable.PivotCache.SavePassword=True
?ActiveCell.PivotTable.PivotCache.Connection

RESOLUTION

To prevent revealing your SQL database password, use Integrated Windows Security, also named Microsoft Windows NT Challenge Response (NTLM).

For more information about Microsoft NTLM, visit the following Microsoft MSDN Web page:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/security/security/microsoft_ntlm.asp

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft Excel 2002 .

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	9/19/2003
Keywords:	kbBug kbfix KB828696 kbAudEndUser kbAudDeveloper