Edit to clarify: The purpose of this isn't to replace SharePoint security or to add some extra super security or about trust in SharePoint, it is instead to consider something that is very much non-standard and the possibility of its implementation as well as where it may be feasible and the limitations it would include. Ultimately SharePoint is a starting ground for a tremendous amount of customization and unique development, and I find it interesting to explore strange situations like the examples.
First I would like to address the obvious... Yes SharePoint does not directly support this type of thing, and instead of Password protection SharePoint uses Permissions to security trim items itself using Windows credentials.
I would like to propose two situations,
- a Business Owner/Manager wants to secure a document/Folder/Library/List with a password and is not comfortable with it simply showing up or not based on who is logged in.
- a site with anonymous access has content which is password protected to allow only specific users (say the person who created it) to view the content (excluding the title)... Note that we are ignoring how the user gets the password in the first place.
If one were to be in one of the above two situations, how would you go about creating a means of password protecting a given item?
For the purposes of this question, the important points of information are....
- How is the password stored and associated with the item
- How is the user prompted to enter the password (GUI, display, and time/location of authentication)
- What security is in place to ensure items are not viewed without entering the password first if at all
- Do you think this is practically possible in the first place, and what specifically makes you feel this to be the case (just to use the existing SharePoint permissions is not an appropriate answer to this point)