Thanks Steve. But I could not understand , How to use OS account to make data connections .What difference does it make in securing database?
polythought
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I have developed a small desktop application using Ms Access 2002 and c#. Database is password protected and contains sensitive data. As many password retrieval tools are available, What should I do to protect Ms-Access (.MDB ) file? Is there any way through which I can hide database file?
Thanks.
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If your data is on the network then the advantage of using an OS account other thasn the logged on user is that you can restrict the user's account from accessing the data at all ... they can not use a paswword cracker against a file they can not see. If this is actually on the desktop then there really is nothing you can do. Access was never really intended to secure sensitive information. The password al;gorythm is much stronger in A2007.
Steve
Can u use mysql as database server? It is because MS Access is a file-base database. Even though you use Window Server UNIX, or Linux, it is still a file-base. How can u open mdb without knowing the path and filename. Perhaps, u can use ODBC as a covering layer.
Or try this MDE and MDB to build 2-layer structure.
How?
user(s) ====== ACCESS ====> myaccess.mde ======== linked mdb files (somewhere)
Or if u know TCP programming,
user(s) ===== Program/ IE =====> TCP/IP ====> Application Server (SQL) ===> MDB or ODBC(MDB)
However, if it is only in your local PC, use 2-layer approach, and set password in 1st layer MDE.
If u have money, buy PGP to protect your HDD or file MDB. So, u can hide your data with protection.
Rather than just hidden without any file access protection. (www.pgp.com)
The MS Access file protection may not be strong enough to defend the crasker(s). It is time and speed question.
Or use mysql (freeware) or use MS SQL server (some money).
Or use human policy to control user access rights.
8D Have fun to make your decision of database design
Business Accounts
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by: stevbePosted on 2007-04-16 at 06:18:06ID: 18917405
The simplest is to change the extention of the file to obscure the fact that your data file is Access. You could use an OS account the user does not have direct permission to and impersonate that account in your code to make you data connections, read, writes etc. While I have not done that for C# I have done it in VB using win 32 api. In fact a lot of third party vendors do this and build their own user security layers within their app, this prevents users from messing with this directly in Access, SQL Server or whatever the RDBMS they are using to store the data.
Steve