diff --git a/docs/topics/recipes.md b/docs/topics/recipes.md
index 33d218d43..ede0f34e1 100644
--- a/docs/topics/recipes.md
+++ b/docs/topics/recipes.md
@@ -1295,6 +1295,15 @@ $protection->setInsertRows(false);
 $protection->setFormatCells(false);
 ```
 
+Note that allowing sort without providing the sheet password
+(similarly with autoFilter) requires that you explicitly
+enable the cell ranges for which sort is permitted,
+with or without a range password:
+```php
+$sheet->protectCells('A:A'); // column A can be sorted without password
+$sheet->protectCells('B:B', 'sortpw'); // column B can be sorted if the range password sortpw is supplied
+```
+
 If writing Xlsx files you can specify the algorithm used to hash the password
 before calling `setPassword()` like so:
 
diff --git a/samples/Basic4/51_ProtectedSort.php b/samples/Basic4/51_ProtectedSort.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cdc95d6c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/Basic4/51_ProtectedSort.php
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+<?php
+
+require __DIR__ . '/../Header.php';
+
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\RichText\RichText;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\RichText\TextElement;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Spreadsheet;
+
+$spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
+
+$helper->log('First sheet - protected, sorts not allowed');
+$sheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+$sheet->setTitle('sorttrue');
+$sheet->getCell('A1')->setValue(10);
+$sheet->getCell('A2')->setValue(5);
+$sheet->getCell('B1')->setValue(15);
+$protection = $sheet->getProtection();
+$protection->setPassword('testpassword');
+$protection->setSheet(true);
+$protection->setInsertRows(true);
+$protection->setFormatCells(true);
+$protection->setObjects(true);
+$protection->setAutoFilter(false);
+$protection->setSort(true);
+$comment = $sheet->getComment('A1');
+$text = new RichText();
+$text->addText(new TextElement('Sort options should be grayed out. Sheet password to remove protections is testpassword for all sheets.'));
+$comment->setText($text)->setHeight('120pt')->setWidth('120pt');
+
+$helper->log('Second sheet - protected, sorts allowed, but no permitted range defined');
+$sheet = $spreadsheet->createSheet();
+$sheet->setTitle('sortfalse');
+$sheet->getCell('A1')->setValue(10);
+$sheet->getCell('A2')->setValue(5);
+$sheet->getCell('B1')->setValue(15);
+$protection = $sheet->getProtection();
+$protection->setPassword('testpassword');
+$protection->setSheet(true);
+$protection->setInsertRows(true);
+$protection->setFormatCells(true);
+$protection->setObjects(true);
+$protection->setAutoFilter(false);
+$protection->setSort(false);
+$comment = $sheet->getComment('A1');
+$text = new RichText();
+$text->addText(new TextElement('Sort options not grayed out, but no permissible sort range.'));
+$comment->setText($text)->setHeight('120pt')->setWidth('120pt');
+
+$helper->log('Third sheet - protected, sorts allowed, but only on permitted range A:A, no range password needed');
+$sheet = $spreadsheet->createSheet();
+$sheet->setTitle('sortfalsenocolpw');
+$sheet->getCell('A1')->setValue(10);
+$sheet->getCell('A2')->setValue(5);
+$sheet->getCell('C1')->setValue(15);
+$protection = $sheet->getProtection();
+$protection->setPassword('testpassword');
+$protection->setSheet(true);
+$protection->setInsertRows(true);
+$protection->setFormatCells(true);
+$protection->setObjects(true);
+$protection->setAutoFilter(false);
+$protection->setSort(false);
+$sheet->protectCells('A:A');
+$comment = $sheet->getComment('A1');
+$text = new RichText();
+$text->addText(new TextElement('Column A may be sorted without a password. No sort for any other column.'));
+$comment->setText($text)->setHeight('120pt')->setWidth('120pt');
+
+$helper->log('Fourth sheet - protected, sorts allowed, but only on permitted range A:A, and range password needed');
+$sheet = $spreadsheet->createSheet();
+$sheet->setTitle('sortfalsecolpw');
+$sheet->getCell('A1')->setValue(10);
+$sheet->getCell('A2')->setValue(5);
+$sheet->getCell('C1')->setValue(15);
+$protection = $sheet->getProtection();
+$protection->setPassword('testpassword');
+$protection->setSheet(true);
+$protection->setInsertRows(true);
+$protection->setFormatCells(true);
+$protection->setObjects(true);
+$protection->setAutoFilter(false);
+$protection->setSort(false);
+$sheet->protectCells('A:A', 'sortpw', false, 'sortrange');
+$comment = $sheet->getComment('A1');
+$text = new RichText();
+$text->addText(new TextElement('Column A may be sorted with password sortpw. No sort for any other column.'));
+$comment->setText($text)->setHeight('120pt')->setWidth('120pt');
+
+// Save
+$helper->write($spreadsheet, __FILE__, ['Xls', 'Xlsx']);
+$spreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xls.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xls.php
index 6d20e1563..da12ce8a8 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xls.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xls.php
@@ -4972,7 +4972,7 @@ class Xls extends BaseReader
 
             // Apply range protection to sheet
             if ($cellRanges) {
-                $this->phpSheet->protectCells(implode(' ', $cellRanges), strtoupper(dechex($wPassword)), true);
+                $this->phpSheet->protectCells(implode(' ', $cellRanges), ($wPassword === 0) ? '' : strtoupper(dechex($wPassword)), true);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xlsx.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xlsx.php
index c8b2de2a9..4b855ddc7 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xlsx.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xlsx.php
@@ -2175,7 +2175,7 @@ class Xlsx extends BaseReader
 
         if ($xmlSheet->protectedRanges->protectedRange) {
             foreach ($xmlSheet->protectedRanges->protectedRange as $protectedRange) {
-                $docSheet->protectCells((string) $protectedRange['sqref'], (string) $protectedRange['password'], true);
+                $docSheet->protectCells((string) $protectedRange['sqref'], (string) $protectedRange['password'], true, (string) $protectedRange['name'], (string) $protectedRange['securityDescriptor']);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Worksheet/ProtectedRange.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Worksheet/ProtectedRange.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bd4197628
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Worksheet/ProtectedRange.php
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Worksheet;
+
+class ProtectedRange
+{
+    private string $name = '';
+
+    private string $password = '';
+
+    private string $sqref;
+
+    private string $securityDescriptor = '';
+
+    /**
+     * No setters aside from constructor.
+     */
+    public function __construct(string $sqref, string $password = '', string $name = '', string $securityDescriptor = '')
+    {
+        $this->sqref = $sqref;
+        $this->name = $name;
+        $this->password = $password;
+        $this->securityDescriptor = $securityDescriptor;
+    }
+
+    public function getSqref(): string
+    {
+        return $this->sqref;
+    }
+
+    public function getName(): string
+    {
+        return $this->name ?: ('p' . md5($this->sqref));
+    }
+
+    public function getPassword(): string
+    {
+        return $this->password;
+    }
+
+    public function getSecurityDescriptor(): string
+    {
+        return $this->securityDescriptor;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Worksheet/Worksheet.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Worksheet/Worksheet.php
index 0e1f4dc32..7afb95b79 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Worksheet/Worksheet.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Worksheet/Worksheet.php
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class Worksheet implements IComparable
     /**
      * Collection of protected cell ranges.
      *
-     * @var string[]
+     * @var ProtectedRange[]
      */
     private array $protectedCells = [];
 
@@ -1866,14 +1866,14 @@ class Worksheet implements IComparable
      *
      * @return $this
      */
-    public function protectCells(AddressRange|CellAddress|int|string|array $range, string $password, bool $alreadyHashed = false): static
+    public function protectCells(AddressRange|CellAddress|int|string|array $range, string $password = '', bool $alreadyHashed = false, string $name = '', string $securityDescriptor = ''): static
     {
         $range = Functions::trimSheetFromCellReference(Validations::validateCellOrCellRange($range));
 
-        if (!$alreadyHashed) {
+        if (!$alreadyHashed && $password !== '') {
             $password = Shared\PasswordHasher::hashPassword($password);
         }
-        $this->protectedCells[$range] = $password;
+        $this->protectedCells[$range] = new ProtectedRange($range, $password, $name, $securityDescriptor);
 
         return $this;
     }
@@ -1901,11 +1901,29 @@ class Worksheet implements IComparable
     }
 
     /**
-     * Get protected cells.
+     * Get password for protected cells.
      *
      * @return string[]
+     *
+     * @deprecated 2.0.1 use getProtectedCellRanges instead
+     * @see Worksheet::getProtectedCellRanges()
      */
     public function getProtectedCells(): array
+    {
+        $array = [];
+        foreach ($this->protectedCells as $key => $protectedRange) {
+            $array[$key] = $protectedRange->getPassword();
+        }
+
+        return $array;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get protected cells.
+     *
+     * @return ProtectedRange[]
+     */
+    public function getProtectedCellRanges(): array
     {
         return $this->protectedCells;
     }
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xls/Worksheet.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xls/Worksheet.php
index 0ef9f280d..dadfc7003 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xls/Worksheet.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xls/Worksheet.php
@@ -1496,7 +1496,8 @@ class Worksheet extends BIFFwriter
      */
     private function writeRangeProtection(): void
     {
-        foreach ($this->phpSheet->getProtectedCells() as $range => $password) {
+        foreach ($this->phpSheet->getProtectedCellRanges() as $range => $protectedCells) {
+            $password = $protectedCells->getPassword();
             // number of ranges, e.g. 'A1:B3 C20:D25'
             $cellRanges = explode(' ', $range);
             $cref = count($cellRanges);
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xlsx/Worksheet.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xlsx/Worksheet.php
index a14ff2812..7784da61b 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xlsx/Worksheet.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xlsx/Worksheet.php
@@ -974,19 +974,20 @@ class Worksheet extends WriterPart
      */
     private function writeProtectedRanges(XMLWriter $objWriter, PhpspreadsheetWorksheet $worksheet): void
     {
-        if (count($worksheet->getProtectedCells()) > 0) {
+        if (count($worksheet->getProtectedCellRanges()) > 0) {
             // protectedRanges
             $objWriter->startElement('protectedRanges');
 
             // Loop protectedRanges
-            foreach ($worksheet->getProtectedCells() as $protectedCell => $passwordHash) {
+            foreach ($worksheet->getProtectedCellRanges() as $protectedCell => $protectedRange) {
                 // protectedRange
                 $objWriter->startElement('protectedRange');
-                $objWriter->writeAttribute('name', 'p' . md5($protectedCell));
+                $objWriter->writeAttribute('name', $protectedRange->getName());
                 $objWriter->writeAttribute('sqref', $protectedCell);
-                if (!empty($passwordHash)) {
-                    $objWriter->writeAttribute('password', $passwordHash);
-                }
+                $passwordHash = $protectedRange->getPassword();
+                $this->writeAttributeIf($objWriter, $passwordHash !== '', 'password', $passwordHash);
+                $securityDescriptor = $protectedRange->getSecurityDescriptor();
+                $this->writeAttributeIf($objWriter, $securityDescriptor !== '', 'securityDescriptor', $securityDescriptor);
                 $objWriter->endElement();
             }
 
diff --git a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Worksheet/ByColumnAndRowTest.php b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Worksheet/ByColumnAndRowTest.php
index 467071924..bc2717804 100644
--- a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Worksheet/ByColumnAndRowTest.php
+++ b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Worksheet/ByColumnAndRowTest.php
@@ -133,8 +133,10 @@ class ByColumnAndRowTest extends TestCase
         $sheet->fromArray($data, null, 'B2', true);
 
         $sheet->protectCells([2, 2, 3, 3], 'secret', false);
-        $protectedRanges = $sheet->getProtectedCells();
+        $protectedRanges = $sheet->/** @scrutinizer ignore-deprecated*/ getProtectedCells();
         self::assertArrayHasKey('B2:C3', $protectedRanges);
+        $protectedRanges2 = $sheet->getProtectedCellRanges();
+        self::assertArrayHasKey('B2:C3', $protectedRanges2);
         $spreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
     }
 
@@ -147,11 +149,11 @@ class ByColumnAndRowTest extends TestCase
         $sheet->fromArray($data, null, 'B2', true);
 
         $sheet->protectCells('B2:C3', 'secret', false);
-        $protectedRanges = $sheet->getProtectedCells();
+        $protectedRanges = $sheet->getProtectedCellRanges();
         self::assertArrayHasKey('B2:C3', $protectedRanges);
 
         $sheet->unprotectCells([2, 2, 3, 3]);
-        $protectedRanges = $sheet->getProtectedCells();
+        $protectedRanges = $sheet->getProtectedCellRanges();
         self::assertEmpty($protectedRanges);
         $spreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
     }
diff --git a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Worksheet/ByColumnAndRowUndeprecatedTest.php b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Worksheet/ByColumnAndRowUndeprecatedTest.php
index 66862e98d..2209bc3ca 100644
--- a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Worksheet/ByColumnAndRowUndeprecatedTest.php
+++ b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Worksheet/ByColumnAndRowUndeprecatedTest.php
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class ByColumnAndRowUndeprecatedTest extends TestCase
         $sheet->fromArray($data, null, 'B2', true);
 
         $sheet->protectCells([2, 2, 3, 3], 'secret', false);
-        $protectedRanges = $sheet->getProtectedCells();
+        $protectedRanges = $sheet->getProtectedCellRanges();
         self::assertArrayHasKey('B2:C3', $protectedRanges);
     }
 
@@ -157,11 +157,11 @@ class ByColumnAndRowUndeprecatedTest extends TestCase
         $sheet->fromArray($data, null, 'B2', true);
 
         $sheet->protectCells('B2:C3', 'secret', false);
-        $protectedRanges = $sheet->getProtectedCells();
+        $protectedRanges = $sheet->getProtectedCellRanges();
         self::assertArrayHasKey('B2:C3', $protectedRanges);
 
         $sheet->unprotectCells([2, 2, 3, 3]);
-        $protectedRanges = $sheet->getProtectedCells();
+        $protectedRanges = $sheet->getProtectedCellRanges();
         self::assertEmpty($protectedRanges);
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Writer/Xlsx/Issue3951Test.php b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Writer/Xlsx/Issue3951Test.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0833301a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Writer/Xlsx/Issue3951Test.php
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheetTests\Writer\Xlsx;
+
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Spreadsheet;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheetTests\Functional\AbstractFunctional;
+
+class Issue3951Test extends AbstractFunctional
+{
+    /**
+     * @dataProvider providerType
+     */
+    public function testIssue2266(string $type): void
+    {
+        $spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
+
+        $sheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $sheet->setTitle('sorttrue');
+        $sheet->getCell('A1')->setValue(10);
+        $sheet->getCell('A2')->setValue(5);
+        $sheet->getCell('B1')->setValue(15);
+        $protection = $sheet->getProtection();
+        $protection->setPassword('testpassword');
+        $protection->setSheet(true);
+        $protection->setInsertRows(true);
+        $protection->setFormatCells(true);
+        $protection->setObjects(true);
+        $protection->setAutoFilter(false);
+        $protection->setSort(true);
+
+        $sheet = $spreadsheet->createSheet();
+        $sheet->setTitle('sortfalse');
+        $sheet->getCell('A1')->setValue(10);
+        $sheet->getCell('A2')->setValue(5);
+        $sheet->getCell('B1')->setValue(15);
+        $protection = $sheet->getProtection();
+        $protection->setPassword('testpassword');
+        $protection->setSheet(true);
+        $protection->setInsertRows(true);
+        $protection->setFormatCells(true);
+        $protection->setObjects(true);
+        $protection->setAutoFilter(false);
+        $protection->setSort(false);
+
+        $sheet = $spreadsheet->createSheet();
+        $sheet->setTitle('sortfalsenocolpw');
+        $sheet->getCell('A1')->setValue(10);
+        $sheet->getCell('A2')->setValue(5);
+        $sheet->getCell('C1')->setValue(15);
+        $protection = $sheet->getProtection();
+        $protection->setPassword('testpassword');
+        $protection->setSheet(true);
+        $protection->setInsertRows(true);
+        $protection->setFormatCells(true);
+        $protection->setObjects(true);
+        $protection->setAutoFilter(false);
+        $protection->setSort(false);
+        $sheet->protectCells('A:A');
+
+        $sheet = $spreadsheet->createSheet();
+        $sheet->setTitle('sortfalsecolpw');
+        $sheet->getCell('A1')->setValue(10);
+        $sheet->getCell('A2')->setValue(5);
+        $sheet->getCell('C1')->setValue(15);
+        $protection = $sheet->getProtection();
+        $protection->setPassword('testpassword');
+        $protection->setSheet(true);
+        $protection->setInsertRows(true);
+        $protection->setFormatCells(true);
+        $protection->setObjects(true);
+        $protection->setAutoFilter(false);
+        $protection->setSort(false);
+        $sheet->protectCells('A:A', 'sortpw', false, 'sortrange');
+
+        $reloadedSpreadsheet = $this->writeAndReload($spreadsheet, $type);
+        $spreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
+
+        self::assertCount(4, $reloadedSpreadsheet->getAllSheets());
+
+        $rsheet1 = $reloadedSpreadsheet->getSheetByNameOrThrow('sorttrue');
+        $protection = $rsheet1->getProtection();
+        self::assertNotEquals('', $protection->getPassword());
+        self::assertTrue($protection->getSort());
+        self::assertEmpty($rsheet1->getProtectedCellRanges());
+
+        $rsheet2 = $reloadedSpreadsheet->getSheetByNameOrThrow('sortfalse');
+        $protection = $rsheet2->getProtection();
+        self::assertNotEquals('', $protection->getPassword());
+        self::assertFalse($protection->getSort());
+        self::assertEmpty($rsheet2->getProtectedCellRanges());
+
+        $rsheet3 = $reloadedSpreadsheet->getSheetByNameOrThrow('sortfalsenocolpw');
+        $protection = $rsheet3->getProtection();
+        self::assertNotEquals('', $protection->getPassword());
+        self::assertFalse($protection->getSort());
+        $maxRow = ($type === 'Xlsx') ? 1048576 : 65536;
+        $testKey = "A1:A$maxRow";
+        $protectedCells = $rsheet3->getProtectedCellRanges();
+        self::assertCount(1, $protectedCells);
+        self::assertArrayHasKey($testKey, $protectedCells);
+        self::assertSame('', $protectedCells[$testKey]->getPassword());
+
+        $rsheet4 = $reloadedSpreadsheet->getSheetByNameOrThrow('sortfalsecolpw');
+        $protection = $rsheet4->getProtection();
+        self::assertNotEquals('', $protection->getPassword());
+        self::assertFalse($protection->getSort());
+        $maxRow = ($type === 'Xlsx') ? 1048576 : 65536;
+        $testKey = "A1:A$maxRow";
+        $protectedCells = $rsheet4->getProtectedCellRanges();
+        self::assertCount(1, $protectedCells);
+        self::assertArrayHasKey($testKey, $protectedCells);
+        self::assertNotEquals('', $protectedCells[$testKey]->getPassword());
+        if ($type === 'Xlsx') {
+            self::assertSame('sortrange', $protectedCells[$testKey]->getName());
+        }
+
+        $reloadedSpreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
+    }
+
+    public static function providerType(): array
+    {
+        return [
+            ['Xlsx'],
+            ['Xls'],
+        ];
+    }
+}