Security at Libre Office

users
#1

Hello,

I am looking to replace our Access Database.
How is your security at LibreOffice?

Do you have two-factor authentication?
I am sorry i dont know the terminology but our IT department would want to know the security of your software. Thank you.

Anna Aeloiza

#2

I am looking to replace our Access Database.

LibreOffice does include a database component. However, your organisation will have to retain the services of an individual, or organisation to either migrate your existing databases to a database engine that plays nicely with LibreOffice, or write custom scripts that ensure that MicroSoft Access plays nicely with LibreOffice.

How is your security at LibreOffice?

What is the threat model?
What is the use case for your organisation?

As far as security goes, pointing to the organisations that use Libreoffice does not mean anything, because good computer hygiene is the overarching behaviour. That said, it is telling that intelligence service of countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia have decried the use of Microsoft Office, and strongly urged the people and organisations within their country to use Linux and LibreOffice.

Do you have two-factor authentication?

That sounds your organisation is looking for a cloud based solution. As such, contact Adfinis (adfinis.com), Collabora (CollaboraOffice.com), or another commercial support vendor of LibreOffice, for assistance in both migration from your existing office setup, to LibreOffice, and ongoing support.

I am sorry i dont know the terminology but our IT department would want to know the security of your software. Thank you.

What threat models is the IT most concerned about?

CVE 2021-25635 was reported 19 January 2021, with the fix being included in the 7.1.1.1 release on 12 February 2021. Call that three weeks to fix what is arguably the most severe security related bug in the last three or four years.
To put that into perspective, _Project Zero_ reported (Feb 2022) that Linux developers take 25 days to fix a security issue, Apple takes 69 days to fix a security issue, Google takes 44 days, and Mozilla takes 46 days to fix security issues.

Despite the severity of that bug, were the people in your organisation to practice good computer hygiene, they would not have been affected by it, even if they were specifically targeted. This is the key to security. How well do the people in your organisation practice good computer hygiene?

Which security protocols and standards does your IT department need adherence to?

There is an alphabet soup of protocols, standards, proposals, and working agreements, some of which your standard LibreOffice install adheres to, some of which require installing an extension or two, and some of which require extensive customization.

jonathon

#3

Hi Anna,

I am looking to replace our Access Database.
How is your security at LibreOffice?

The internal databases of LibreOffice are not protected. You could use the database file if the system allows to use this file. And if you use the file you could also do anything with the database.

If you need security of your data you have to use an external database with password protection. LibreOffice Base will connect to this external database.

If you need security for your forms you have to use external forms (Writer documents), which could be password protected.

Do you have two-factor authentication?

Two factor-authentification need another factor, not only a password protection. Don't know if this is used by any desktop office software.

Regards

Robert