Office 97-2003: finite-key recovery candidates
Some Excel (.xls), Word (.doc), and PowerPoint (.ppt) files from Office 97 through Office 2003 use a legacy 40-bit RC4 scheme. The free check identifies the exact variant before any recovery route or timeline is quoted.
Clear release process
Free Office check. Local release price only if recovery works.
Analysis is free. Recovery is version-aware — different Office versions get different treatment. You see proof before paying. Full password or unlocked file release is one clear payment.
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Why the exact variant matters
Microsoft Office 97-2003 encrypts files using a 40-bit RC4 stream cipher through the Windows CryptoAPI. At the time it was designed, 40-bit encryption was chosen to comply with US export restrictions on cryptography.
Some legacy variants expose a finite key space that can be analyzed directly. The exact key derivation, file structure, and implementation still matter, so the analyzer must confirm the variant instead of treating every old extension as identical.
If the variant supports a finite-key route, the password may not be needed for the technical analysis. We still verify the decrypted result and ownership before release.
Which files qualify?
- Word .doc files saved by Word 97, 2000, XP, or 2003
- Excel .xls files saved by Excel 97, 2000, XP, or 2003
- PowerPoint .ppt files saved by PowerPoint 97, 2000, XP, or 2003
Note: If the file was later re-saved by Office 2007 or later (even if it kept the .doc/.xls extension), it may have been upgraded to AES encryption. Our analyzer detects this automatically.
What to expect
Upload
Drop your .doc, .xls, or .ppt file. We identify the format and confirm the exact encryption variant.
Assessment
We select a finite-key or password-dependent route only when the file and authorization support it.
Delivery
If the check supports recovery, you see proof before the one-time release. No result means no recovery charge.