Excel file opens in protective view, red message

[Son]

Hi, I have recently converted a large excel file with a lot of macros to work in excel 2016. I have many worksheets, all of which are protected and the VB Project is also Protected. The main problem, when trying to make the conversion, was that excel 2016 (and 2010) did not recognise the MS Calendar reference and I could not enable the macros. So, I removed the Calendar ref in a e pc with excel version 2003 and then copied by usb to the other laptop that has excel 2016.

In the new laptop with excel 2016 the file opens, but it only opens in protective view. Searching through the net I found that: "File validation failure - When you see a message in Protected View that says "Office has detected a problem with this file. Editing it may harm your computer. Click for more details.", the file didn’t pass file validation. File validation scans file for security problems that can result from changes in the file structure."

The problem is that I need to send the file to various users who will open it in excel 2016, so they should not open it in protective view and then have to press the button so as to open anyway.

Why is my file opening in protected view? What could be wrong and causes this to happen?

Also, some older version of the file have been red flagged by defender, and I get the message: threat detected Trojan:O97m/Foretype.A!ml .But it is the same file, only with half finished code. I don't know why the defender identifies it as having a trojan.

Maybe this is the reason that the finished file opens in protective view?

Have you ever encountered this? Is there a way to fix it?

Your thoughts and ideas would be most apprecieted!!!

 

[Anthony47]

Every file in my computer that do not belong to a "reliable path" will be open in protected mode, unless I decide to enter the standard mode; this is almost a "must" for files received by email or downloaded from Internet, and I shall never remove this security protection.
It is on the receiving party the option to say "this is a reliable file".

As far as the "defender" flag, maybe you can ask the software owner to check if it is a "false positive"

Bye

 

[Son]

Anthony, thank you very much for your reply! What I don't understand is this: I copy the xls file from one laptop to another via usb. There is no emailing or opening from the internet. So, why might this be that my 2nd laptop would consider the file as not reliable?

 

[Anthony47]

USB is not a secure path
Unless the user specify that, in Menu /Option /Protection Center /Protection Center setup /Reliable Path; Add new Path

But I (me, Anthony) shall never declare that a usb port is a reliable path. I think you should declare that your file is Safe and explain the user how he can verify that your original file has not been modified (maybe an MD5 signature?) and how deal with his own security rules on his pc.

Bye

 

[Son]

Thank you again for your reply! I mentioned the usb so that you see that I did not get the file from the internet or via email. I use the usb to copy the file from one lp to the other. And then, I open the file after having transfered to the second lp. That's where excel opens it in protected view. However, the users will get the file, zipped due to its large size, by email.

I agree that a usb port should not be declared as safe. I have no idea what is an MD5 signature.

 

[Anthony47]

MD5 is one of the algorithm that can be used to calculate a "signature" for a file; if the receiving party calculate the same signature then it is almost sure that the file has not been modified.
You can calculate it online (if you trust an on-line service!); for example: Online MD5 Hash Generator & SHA1 Hash Generator

Bye

 

[Son]

Thank you, again for your reply. I'd be a bit reluctant to uploead my file to an online service, as you say.

However, the file has not been changed, I just copy it from the usb stick. So, I know that noone has modified it. Only me. So why do I get this message for protected view?

 

[Anthony47]

Did you declare the usb drive a safe path?

 

[Son]

no, you said I shouldn't and I agree with you. How does it know that I have it copied from a usb? I don't open it from the usb.

 

[Anthony47]

I understand... You COPY the file from the USB port to a safe path; then you open if from the safe path and it's still marked "unsafe" and thus open in protected mode.
I don't know which criterias are used by Office /Windows to state the reliability of a file; maybe they remember the file is coming from a removable device, but this is only a guess.

Bye