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Is it really impossible to break workbook protection?
Hi, I process personal data and need strict protection (GDPR). My raw data from a survey is copied to several worksheets in a workbook and the processed anonymous data (dashboards) is in other works...
Yes, Excel protection is mainly the protection from the errors due to negligence. Simplest case, if you hide Sheet1 and protect structure, anyone could write in Sheet2 formulas like =Sheet1!A1 and pick-up information from hided sheet in protected structure. To find actual name of the Sheet1 is also not a big deal.
No—workbook protection is not a secure way to protect sensitive personal data; customers may be able to bypass it, so sensitive raw data should be removed before sharing.