PASSPROTECT Subcommand (SAVE command)

The PASSPROTECT subcommand specifies the settings for saving a data file as an encrypted file. Once encrypted, the file can only be opened by providing the correct password.

PASSWORD. Specifies the password required to open this file. Passwords are limited to 10 characters and are case-sensitive. The specified value must be enclosed in quotation marks. The keyword NONE specifies that the file will not be encrypted and is the default.

Warning: Passwords cannot be recovered if they are lost. If the password is lost the file cannot be opened.

ENCRYPTEDPW Keyword

The ENCRYPTEDPW keyword specifies whether the password is encrypted.

NO. The password is not encrypted. It is treated as plain text. This is the default.

YES. The password is encrypted. Passwords are always encrypted when pasting syntax from the Save Data As dialog. Note: ENCRYPTEDPW=YES should only be used when the password is known to be encrypted.

Creating strong passwords

• Use eight or more characters.
• Include numbers, symbols and even punctuation in your password.
• Avoid sequences of numbers or characters, such as "123" and "abc", and avoid repetition, such as "111aaa".
• Do not create passwords that use personal information such as birthdays or nicknames.
• Periodically change the password.

Note: Encrypted data files and output documents cannot be opened in versions of IBM® SPSS® Statistics prior to version 21. Encrypted syntax files cannot be opened in versions prior to version 22.