Using Visual Basic VBA with HTTPS and SSL

Is it possible to access web pages with HTTPS and that require login/password using Excel? Well, yes and no. Heres the deal and why its not so straight forward. First, Lets  Define Terms HTTPS is by convention the identifier for what is called SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). That doesnt really have anything to do with passwords or logins as such. What SSL does is set up an encrypted connection between a web client and server so that no information is sent between the two in the clear -- using unencrypted transmissions. If the information includes login and password information, encrypting the transmission protects them from prying eyes...but encrypting passwords isnt a requirement. I used the phrase by convention because the real security technology is SSL. HTTPS only signals to the server that the client plans on using that protocol. SSL can be used in a variety of other ways. So...if your computer sends a URL to a server that uses SSL and that URL starts with HTTPS, your computer is saying to the server: Hey Mr. Server, lets shake hands over this encryption thing so that whatever we say from now on wont get intercepted by some bad guy. And when thats done, go ahead and send me the page addressed by the URL. The server will send back the key information for setting up an SSL connection. Its up to your computer to actually do something with it. Thats key (pun...well, sorta intended) to understanding the role of VBA in Excel. The programming in VBA would have to actually take the next step and implement the SSL on the client side. Real web browsers do that automatically and show you a little lock symbol in the status line to show you that it has been done. But if the VBA just opens the web page as a file and reads the information in it into cells in a spreadsheet (a very common example), Excel wont do that without some additional programming. The servers gracious offer to shake hands and set up secure SSL communication just gets ignored by Excel. But You Can Read the Page You Requested in Exactly the Same Way To prove it, lets use the SSL connection that is used by Googles Gmail service (which starts with https) and code a call to open that connection just like it was a file. This reads the web page like it was a simple file. Since recent versions of Excel will import HTML automatically, after the Open statement is executed, the Gmail page (minus the Dynamic HTML objects) is imported into a spreadsheet. The goal of SSL connections is to exchange information, not just read a web page, so this is normally not going to get you very far. To do more, you have to have some way, in your Excel VBA program, to support both the SSL protocol and maybe to support DHTML too. Youre probably better off starting with the full Visual Basic rather than Excel VBA. Then use controls like the Internet Transfer API WinInet and call Excel objects as needed. But it is possible to use WinInet directly from an Excel VBA program. WinInet is an API - Application Programming Interface - to WinInet.dll. Its mainly used as one of the major components of Internet Explorer, but you can use it directly from your code as well and you can use it for HTTPS. Writing the code to use WinInet is at least a medium difficulty task. In general, the steps involved are: Connect to the HTTPS server and send an HTTPS requestIf the server asks for a signed client certificate, resend the request after attaching the certificate contextIf the server is satisfied, the session is authenticated There are two major differences in writing the WinInet code to use https rather than the regular HTTP: You should also keep in mind that the function of exchanging a login/password is logically independent of encrypting the session using https and SSL. You can do one or the other, or both. In many cases, they do go together, but not always. And implementing the WinInet requirements doesnt do anything to respond automatically to a login/password request. If, for example, the login and password are part of a web form, then you might have to figure out the names of the fields and update the fields from Excel VBA before posting the login string to the server. Responding correctly to a web servers security is a big part of what a web browser does. On the other hand, if SSL authentication is required, you might consider using the InternetExplorer object to log in from within VBA... The bottom line is that using https and logging into a server from an Excel VBA program is possible, but dont expect to write the code that does it in just a few minutes.

The Reprehensible Story Of The Enron Corporation - 1680 Words

The reprehensible story of the Enron Corporation’s rapid rise to success followed by their consequential disgraceful fall is one that has captivated the attention of the public for more than a decade. Not only was this scandal highlighted largely due to the widespread publication of the Enron Corp’s actions in the newspapers and television but must notably their substantial contradictory actions against not only basic ethics but Enron’s published Code of Ethics. Outlining the reputation of Enron, Kenneth Lay, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), in a foreword within Enron’s Code of Ethics stated, â€Å"to be proud of Enron and know that it enjoys a reputation for fairness and honesty and that it is respected.† Even though Kenneth Lay spoke to the company as a whole on manners in ethics and good conduct, it was he and a number of other high placed executives who choose to ignore their own statements and act in complete disregard. When running an organization executives are held responsible and expected to maximize their shareholders interests and enhance overall capital gain while upholding to the practice of ethical processes and abiding by common governing virtues. Through the study of three key virtues (integrity, fairness, and justice) and applying them to the Enron case, it will quickly be seen how evident the leaders of this organization choose to neglect ethical practices and virtues to gain personal financial growth. Virtue Ethics To begin one must comprehendShow MoreRelatedEnron3125 Words   |  13 Pagescollapse of Enron had substantial and far-reaching ramifications throughout the financial investment field, tax compliance professions and the accounting profession. Intense Congressional scrutiny resulted in a new era of transparency in financial reporting, stricter reporting standards as provided in Sarbanes-Oxley and substantial penalties for failure to comply with new financial reporting and tax compliance standards in the Internal Revenue Code (Bottiglieri et. al., 2009) Enron Assignment Read MoreThe History Of Lehman Brothers2485 Words   |  10 Pagesas the general public been aware of the current issues within Lehman brothers , more intellectual and financial aid would have been available to minimize losses and potentially avoid total collapse. Had Fuld acted more prudently, Lehman Brothers’ story may have ended differently. (Salisbury, I. 2014) The second ethical issue that Lehman brothers made was when Chief Financial Officer Erin Callan approved to transfer huge sum of assets away from Lehman brothers accounts into Hudson Castle which wasRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pageschallenges understandings of the relationship between organizations and society A puzzle – is it is better to ‘belong’ or to be an ‘individual’? Longing to belong: too much commitment A reminder – the human relations approach is not the only neo-modernist story in town How neo-modernist organization theory challenges understandings of organization culture Creating a culture that gives meaning to work Developing understanding of culture Developing a ‘practical theory’ of organizational culture The vehicles

A beauty Free Essays

Talking about Charles Newman in the story Charles is a dear friend of the writer The writer views Charles as beautiful Other people think Charles is beautiful The beauty the writer sees in Charles is not hindered by anything he says or does Charles has soft blonde hair and blue eyes Charles is unmarried â€Å"The thing I liked least about Charlie was his way of carrying on with several women P. 56 Charles has a steady girlfriend at a time†¦ † Charles has a side girlfriend Although Charles is imperfect the writer expresses still seeing the beauty in Charles The writer rates the Subject in a way to present the flaws of the character but also the ability to love him in spite of It. The writer expresses being close to beauty can make one feel more beautiful and worthy themselves regardless of their own inherent qualities Charles was loyal to friends Charles had a way with people Charles was blessed with good looks, this made things easier for him, and his friends. We will write a custom essay sample on A beauty or any similar topic only for you Order Now Charles enjoyed the finer things, such as museums and art It’s not easy to abandon the Idea that beauty can never really be skin deep, that nine beauty is not only unproblematic but also somehow a sign of an essential goodness. P. 57 The writer equates beauty with wholesomeness The writer Is male and married The writer has no need to fear Charles beauty Charles Is slightly flawed but a person who none the less was â€Å"Beautiful†. Charles Is better able to understand or relate to the people around him because his beauty does more than simply draw people to him, It puts him In situations where he Is able to understand or relate to the people around him because of It Response I couldn’t understand why the writer chose Charles as the subject I did Identify with dismissing my loved ones flaws I also Identified with dwellings some of the actions of attractive people I liked the point about, beautiful people being able to lead and teach I also liked the point about, beautiful people being more comfortable and because of It the are able to network and meet new people. I was Interested to find at the middle of the story that the writer was a man. I was also Interested by the what the writer may have meet hen he spoke of how and who Charles had left his Thales,upon passing away. I liked that my feelings about the subject continued to change as the essay evolved. A beauty By lea_lactate the ability to love him in spite of it. The writer expresses being close to beauty can It’s not easy to abandon the idea that beauty can never really be skin deep, that The writer is male and married Charles is slightly flawed but a person who none the less was â€Å"Beautiful†. Charles is does more than simply draw people to him, it puts him in situations where he is able o understand or relate to the people around him because of it I couldn’t understand why the writer chose Charles as the subject I did identify with I also identified with dismissing some of the actions of attractive people I liked the about, beautiful people being more comfortable and because of it the are able to network and meet new people. How to cite A beauty, Papers

Corporate Responsibility Ethics Management â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Corporate Responsibility Ethics Management? Answer: Introduction Corporate social responsibility or CSR has become significantly popular in past few decades with the increase in requirement of transparency in business operations and embracing an ethical culture in organisations. It is based on the old concept that corporations should not only focus on enhancing their profits, they should also care regarding their duties as a corporate citizen. The popularity of international corporations has grown significantly due to globalisation, especially in developed countries. CSR policies ensure the social and ethical behaviour of giant corporations in different countries. But there is no strict policy regarding proper implementation of CSR policies. Many large corporations misuse their position even after implementing CSR policies. This essay will analyse different advantages and disadvantages of implementing CSR policies. Further, the essay will evaluate various theories from experts and examine the situation from different companys perspective. Merits and Demerits of CSR Policies Corporate Social Responsibility has been a trending topic in past few decades. With the globalisation of the economy, many organisations have enhanced their business in several countries. In the beginning, most of these corporations focus on making profits rather than developing countries. But the introduction of CSR policies stops companies from misusing their powers and performing certain tasks for development of different parties. As per Crane, Matten and Spence (2013), before CSR policy there were several other regulations such as ethical policies and code of conducts which prevents corporations from misusing their positions, but those policies were often misused by organisations. CSR policies are self-regulated by the corporation, these are policies are against profitability motive and for the goodwill of society. According to the book of Hopkins (2012), managers of large organisations across the globe have accepted the importance of implementing CSR policies in corporations str ategy. In modern times, there are several unethical actions conducted by organisations, such as tax scandal of HSBC. As per Robinson (2015), the bank was letting rich clients evade tax and also overvalued its value in financial statements. Another example is tax evasion scandal in the United Kingdom, in which large corporations such as Facebook, Amazon, and Starbucks was included. These scandals show the requirement of better and strict CSR policies in a large organisation. The role of government has shrunk in past few decades and ethical policies applicability is based on the voluntary and non-voluntary basis. The unethical activities of corporations increased pollution and reduce the natural resources. It is important for organisations to protect natural resources and reduce their carbon footprint. Though the concept of ethical business practices has been known from 1800, due to change in industries and peoples lifestyles, CSR has become popular in previous few decades. According to Joshua (2016), more than 66 percent of customers have said on online platforms that they would pay extra to purchase products from companies which follow strict environmental and social responsibilities. The primary benefit of CSR is that effective CSR policy benefits organisations in retention and recruitment process. The companies which apply an effective CSR policy have more satisfied and happier workers. The reason is that employees feel they are contributing their work to the improvement of society and environment. Few examples of companies with strict and effective CSR policies include Google, Ben Jerrys and Target. Google has been awarded the best place to work several times because of their effective CSR policy. As per Wang (2016), they are a large corporation, but due to their Google Green policy, they use efficient and renewable energy to operate their processes. As per Melo and Garrido-Morgado (2012), other than leaving an ethical impact, there are numerous advantages of applying an effective CSR policy in the organisation. An effective CSR policy enhanced the reputation of the corporation in the market. Worlds largest and most reputed corporations such as Apple, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks are known for applying effective CSR policies. These organisations do not just focus on increasing their revenues instead they give back to society and work better to help the environment. Another benefit of CSR policies is protection and preservation of the environment and its resources. Apple and Google are forming new ways to powering their offices with natural energy. According to Alter (2017), Apple operates 100 percent of their data centers and 96 percent of their other facilities worldwide with natural energy sources such as solar, hydro and the wind. All the products manufactured by Apple are 100 percent recyclable and made with envir onmentally friendly products. Another benefit is that effective CSR policy attracts high capital inflow from different sources. As per the research of Kim, Park and Wier (2012), modern investors prefer to invest in companies with effective CSR policies because these companies maintain transparency in operations and provide full disclosure to its shareholders. Another benefit is the reputation of the company since corporation with better CSR policy has a high reputation in the market. The change in lifestyle of people has increased the demand for environmentally friendly and quality products in the market. Customers prefer to pay extra for a product which does not pollute the environment. Starbucks has implemented this strategy successfully; the company provides high quality and environmentally friendly products to their customers at a high price than compared to their competitors. With these benefits, there are few disadvantages of CSR policies as well. The primary disadvantage of applying CSR policy is that companys focus shifts from profit making. As per Kim, Li and Li (2014), the main motive of organisations is to earn profits, but CSR policies require organisations to think about benefiting society. The corporations forget about their responsibility towards shareholders and instead focus on providing funds to society. The second significant drawback of implementing CSR policy is enhancement in the cost of production of companies. As per Reverte (2012), in order to apply environmental friendly energy sources, organisations are required to change their entire manufacturing procedures. This change requires a high level of expenditure which cannot be afforded by small or even medium corporations. Increase in cost of production also reduced the overall net profit of the corporation. The third disadvantage of CSR is that the constant disclosure and transparency can negatively affect the reputation of the organisation. As per Dhaliwal, Li, Tsang and Yang (2014), the corporation is required to provide shortcoming of their products and services which reduce the trust of customers in the corporation. For example, car manufacturing companies calling back their vehicles due to its flaws eventually reduce the reputation of the organisation. Customers and investors prefer to associate with popular and reputable corporations, so companies do not prefer strict CSR policies since it can affect their reputation adversely. Another disadvantage is that in case of customers, in the beginning, they prefer a company with strong CSR policies who is doing good for society, but lack of instant result made them think these policies are not working (Rivera, Bigne and Curras-Perez, 2016). Also, due to the low economy, most customers prefer to pay less for same products and services, ev en if they pollute the environment. Due to its popularity, most organisations implement a CSR policy, but in order to generate profits, most companies do not comply with their CSR policies. There are several examples of companies failing to maintain their CSR policies, such as Volkswagen, the company do not care about polluting the environment with their vehicles (Dans 2015). Many corporations evade tax from governments, such as Starbucks and HSBC bank, which reduced the net income of country. To avoid these drawbacks corporations are required to maintain an effective CSR culture in organisational environment and government should also form strict regulations for better compliance of CSR policies by companies. Conclusion From the above essay, it can be concluded that currently, corporate social responsibility policies are significantly popular among multinational corporations. Most companies use these policies to enhance their reputation in the market. These policies also assist in the preservation of environmental resources by using of natural energy in the manufacturing process. There are several shortcomings of implementing CSR policys, such as most organisations do not strictly company with such policies. Most shareholders and investors do not prefer CSR policies since it changes companys focus from profit making. Despite such shortcoming, the popularity of CSR policies is rising significantly. For successful and effective implementation it is necessary that government prepared several regulations. Some effort from companies is also necessary to establish a CSR environment in the corporation. The benefits of CSR policy considerably overcome its shortcomings. References Alter, L., 2017. How green is Apple? A look at their Environmental Responsibility Report. TreeHugger. Retrieved from https://www.treehugger.com/environmental-policy/how-green-apple-look-their-environmental-responsibility-report.html Crane, A., Matten, D. and Spence, L.J., 2013. Corporate social responsibility in a global context. Dans, E., 2015. Volkswagen And The Failure Of Corporate Social Responsibility. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedans/2015/09/27/volkswagen-and-the-failure-of-corporate-social-responsibility/#460f7af4405c Dhaliwal, D., Li, O.Z., Tsang, A. and Yang, Y.G., 2014. Corporate social responsibility disclosure and the cost of equity capital: The roles of stakeholder orientation and financial transparency.Journal of Accounting and Public Policy,33(4), pp.328-355. Hopkins, M., 2012.Corporate social responsibility and international development: is business the solution?. Earthscan. Joshua., 2016. 66% of consumers willing to pay more for sustainable goods, Nielsen report reveals. Ashton Manufacturing. Retrieved from https://ashtonmanufacturing.com.au/66-of-consumers-willing-to-pay-more-for-sustainable-goods-nielsen-report-reveals/ Kim, Y., Li, H. and Li, S., 2014. Corporate social responsibility and stock price crash risk.Journal of Banking Finance,43, pp.1-13. Kim, Y., Park, M.S. and Wier, B., 2012. Is earnings quality associated with corporate social responsibility?.The Accounting Review,87(3), pp.761-796. Melo, T. and Garrido?Morgado, A., 2012. Corporate reputation: A combination of social responsibility and industry.Corporate social responsibility and environmental management,19(1), pp.11-31. Reverte, C., 2012. The impact of better corporate social responsibility disclosure on the cost of equity capital.Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management,19(5), pp.253-272. Rivera, J.J., Bigne, E. and Curras-Perez, R., 2016. Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility perception on consumer satisfaction with the brand. Spanish Journal of Marketing. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjme.2016.06.002 Robinson, N., 2015. HSBC bank 'helped clients dodge millions in tax'. BBC. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/business-31248913 Wang, U., 2016. How Google is using big data to protect the environment. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/oct/12/google-environmental-sustainability-data-kate-brandt