Q: Are my text files, spreadsheets, and presentations secure when I use OpenOffice.org?
A: Yes. OpenOffice.org is one of the software suites that use an open, international standard for saving files. The standard is called ODF ( Open Document Format). Being an international standard, you can be sure that you will be able to open the files you save today even in many many years from now.
Some other file formats that are still in use today do not offer you this standard conformity. Data that you save in those other formats may be no longer accessible to you when you decide to not pay for the latest software updates, or when you want to use another computer platform.
Q: Can I password-protect my files so no one can look what's inside?
A: Yes. Check the Save with Password box on the File Save dialog, then enter a password with at least five characters. Be very sure to remember that password when you later try to open the file again! OpenOffice.org uses a strong data encryption. In theory, it may be possible to break the password using brute-force methods, that means, to try and try and try with all possible passwords until the file opens. But with the strong OOo encryption, even the fastest computers will need many years to succeed.
Some other office suites also use passwords to secure the contents, but their encryption algorithm is supposed to be much less secure that the one used in OpenOffice.org.
Q: How can the encryption be secure when the program code is made public?
A: Modern computer software uses modern cryptographic methods that are published as common knowledge. The file contents are encrypted using the supplied password, and the file can only be decrypted using the same password. With open source software like OpenOffice.org, every programmer can verify that there is no more magic than this.
With some other software that is proprietary, when even trying to decompile the software to have a look what is inside is prohibited by legal or technical means, you cannot be so sure that your data is really safe from spying eyes.
Q: But I found out how to view a password protected spreadsheet without using the password, and it was easy.
A: The cell protection of a spreadsheet is only a tool to prevent the contents from occasional changes. Have a look at the OpenOffice.org application help: Open a Calc spreadsheet, press F1, look for the index entry "protected contents". There you find an explanation about the different security levels and various methods to protect contents in OOo.
If you want to really protect your spreadsheet, use the Save with Password check box on the File Save dialog. Of course, this strong protection only works when you save in ODF file formats.
Q: Must I be afraid of macros inside the documents that I receive?
A: Use common sense and there is nothing to be worried about.
OpenOffice.org (if built by Sun Microsystems and downloaded from OpenOffice.org) will not execute any macro that may be waiting inside a Word or Excel file. You are safe to open the file. If you want you can look into the macros inside the file, if you want you can delete them, and you can save the file with or without the macros. It's your choice.
OpenOffice.org will not execute any macro that is inside its own ODF file format by default. Except macros from trusted sources. You can define which sources you trust. Open Tools - OpenOffice.org - Security, then click on Macro Security (see image).
With OpenOffice.org, security is right at your hands.