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Zhetmasta
50 pts.
 Password protected Microsoft Outlook .PST file
.PST files, .PST password breaking, Microsoft Office 2003, Outlook 2003, Password
User's .pst file has password set on it, such that if I reinstall Office 2003 package it requests for Personal Folders password..How do I reset and/or remove this configuration

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ASKED: April 11, 2009  10:44 AM
UPDATED: August 8, 2009  7:45 AM
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It's plenty of tools out there on the internet but most of them are not free. <a href="www.nirsoft.net/utils/pst_password.html">check this tool</a> ************ I would tread lightly in this scenario. Yes it is "company" email however this user is going to feel unjustly violated if his password is removed without his knowledge or permission. To be fair to the user, notify them first of the problem. Seek permission to remove the password or seek to do this at a time when they can be present to input their password. Is this inconvenient to you? Yes, however keeping good relations with the people we work with is important. I would say respect the password first until all other options are exhausted. It will save a LOT of headaches, trust me!
Last Wiki Answer Submitted:  April 13, 2009  1:35 pm  by  alessandro.panzetta   9,680 pts.
All Answer Wiki Contributors:  alessandro.panzetta   9,680 pts.
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For anyone looking for an excellent tool for cracking Outlook PST passwords (and practically anything else) check out Elcomsoft.

KevinBeaver
 10,800 pts.
 

Also important:

1- what does your company says about “cracking” any kind of password?
2- which is the business rationale for doing that? who will approve/authorise your actions?
3- has a service request been raised for this? (eg: email, ticket in a Help Desk app, written note, anything valid ass evidence) Or is it part of a project?

Remember to be TRANSPARENT in this kind of situations.

Good luck!
Diego.

DiegoDH
 275 pts.
 

Excellent points, Diego. :-)

Technochic
 56,975 pts.
 

I recently participated in a project involving migrating all PST files back into the mailboxes. Some of the files were fairly old, so after informing the user (who couldn’t remember the password), we used PST19UPG for stripping the password.

PST19UPG was originally designed for upgrading the PST file format to version 19, but one of the side effects is that it can strip out PST passwords.

Always make a backup of the PST before using, there have been instances (although we didn’t encounter them) where the utitlity has caused damage to a PST.

Kind regards,

Duncan

MacLeod
 80 pts.
 

Do note that at least on government networks, despite all of the warnings, notices, EULAs, etc., it is STILL legally an unlawful invasion of privacy to open a user’s personal folder or personal mail box, crack their password, etc., without their explicit consent at the time of access OR without a warrant.

In other words there can be huge legal considerations no matter how many rights they’ve signed away. If you really need to get into anything that belongs to a user which they could have any sort of vague claim to an expectation of any kind of privacy, and can’t get in touch with the user, get with your legal team first.

Hubcap
 35 pts.
 

Good point, Hubcap.

Zhetmasta, how did this issue ended?

Maybe another solution would have been to add the protected PST later, by the user him/herself?

DiegoDH
 275 pts.