Media Releases

Spreadsheet Sentry Farewell - July 12, 2019
Spreadsheet Security Issues - November 24, 2007
Real Spreadsheet Security - July 19, 2007

Media Enquiries to:
Software Security Ltd

[Note that in the copy of the media releases below the old ExcelSentry software product name has been changed to Spreadsheet Sentry.]

Spreadsheet Sentry Farewell - July 12, 2019

As of July 31, 2019, Spreadsheet Sentry licenses will no longer be available for purchase or upgrade.  Software Security Ltd will continue to support users who are on a maintenance arrangement with us, but will be making no further updates to Sentry.  Our Email License Server will stay available for those users who remain on a maintenance arrangement, but only for a limited time for other users 

We would like to thank all our customers for your past business; it was a pleasure bringing strong location and content security to your Excel spreadsheet formulas and data for a period of nearly 14 years

Spreadsheet Security Issues - November 24, 2007

How safe is the intellectual property (IP) you have invested in your spreadsheet formulas?  Can contractors or employees steal your IP by copying your spreadsheets (or even just the formulas)?  Do you want to send spreadsheets to customers but want to prevent them gaining the knowledge of how they work?

Excel spreadsheet security

Unfortunately, Microsoft Excel® has very little security built in to it.  Excel does provide password-based 'protection' of workbooks, worksheets (enabling cell locking and hiding of formulas), macros and add-ins.  The level of protection provided, however, is relatively low, and provides a first line of defense only.  The Excel-based protections can all be broken fairly easily using un-protect programs and services readily available on the internet.  Microsoft itself has stated that the password-based locking and hiding features “are not intended to secure or protect confidential information in Excel.  These features are merely meant to obscure data or formulas that might confuse some users or to prevent others from viewing or making changes to that data”  [http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HP052388541033.aspx].

Spreadsheet Sentry - real spreadsheet security

An ideal solution would be one where spreadsheets were encoded so that the IP encapsulated by the spreadsheet formulas was secure, but where authorized users could operate encoded spreadsheets as normal.  Until recently, attempts to provide strong security were very expensive, and were essentially targeted at large corporate users.

Spreadsheet Sentry, an innovative new software security product by New Zealand company Software Security Ltd, delivers comprehensive and robust security for spreadsheets by providing:

• content security - formulas are encrypted so that users are prevented from viewing or editing them, although those same users can otherwise use the spreadsheets as normal;
• location security wherever and whenever ExcelSentry-encoded spreadsheets are used, allowing only users on specifically authorized PCs to use those spreadsheets;
• strong encryption of formulas (essentially unbreakable) - independent of Excel’s native spreadsheet ‘protection’;
• affordable solutions for companies of all sizes.

What can Spreadsheet Sentry do for you?

Advantages for a company using Spreadsheet Sentry:

• employees and contractors can use company-encoded spreadsheets as normal on authorized PCs, normally within the company’s office, but are unable to use those spreadsheets elsewhere;
• spreadsheets may be sent to customers to use, perhaps for a limited time period, but those customers are prevented from obtaining the original formulas in order to recreate their own version of the spreadsheet;
• company investment in intellectual property is protected since other parties that acquire encoded spreadsheets are unable to use them.

Real Spreadsheet Security - July 19, 2007

Software Security Ltd is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Spreadsheet Sentry version 1.2, a significant upgrade to its innovative security product for Microsoft Excel® spreadsheets.

Spreadsheet Sentry delivers comprehensive and robust security for spreadsheets by providing:

• location security wherever and whenever the Spreadsheet Sentry-encoded spreadsheets are used, allowing only authorized users on specifically authorized PCs to use them;
• content security, meaning that spreadsheet formulas are encrypted so that users are prevented from viewing or editing them, even though those same users can otherwise use the spreadsheets as normal;
• strong formula encryption (real spreadsheet security that is essentially unbreakable) - independent of Excel’s native spreadsheet ‘protection’.

Pricing and Availability

Spreadsheet Sentry (including an Encoder and five Client licenses) is available for US$395 from http://www.spreadsheetsentry.com/.  More information and a trial version are also available from the website.