Help .xls password recovery/removal

[DaGaffer]

Anyone got any decent programs that can get around the password on an xls file? I password protected a work file (old job) around 3 years ago and it will be useful soon (new job coming up) but I'm buggered if I can remember the password.

 

[Dreamor]

I had a tool called 'Office Key Light' but not sure where it is, worth google checking for that

 

[MYstIC G]

Decryptum | MS Excel Password Recovery - MS Word Password Recovery - Free Preview.

 

[caLLous]

I had a similar problem a couple of years ago, can't tell you what program I used but I think I just googled it and naughtily downloaded the first legitimate looking one that came up. If I remember rightly, it didn't actually "crack" the password, it either delved inside the xls file and "retrieved" it or actually just opened the file (with the pw removed) in Excel. I've never been overly convinced of the security of Excel passwords but I guess it works to lock sheets to guard against accidental user screwups.

It's certainly not an insurmountable problem though, if the password is likely to be a word and not a random string of letters then you could try the demo of this (first google result) - it will tell you the first 2 characters apparently.