How can I convert the data in a (Access) database to a format that's
indecipherable to a word processor or other program and stores it in an
encrypted fromat? If unauthorized users attempts to bypass the DBMS and get
to the data directly , the see only the encrypeted version of the data.

Harjinder S. Purewal

Has this database been secured using Access user-level security?

- If Yes: it is already encrypted! This occurs as part of the process
of securing the database. If you don't believe this, take a copy, give
it a TXT file extension, then open it in Notepad. You will see that the
whole file (beyond the first 2kb or so) is meaningless gibberish.

- If No: forget about someone viewing it with a disk editor - they
could simply open it with Access, and view or change the data via the
standard Access user interface!

HTH,
TC