Question

Encrypt connection string PHP5

Asked by: MHenry

So I guess this is so simple I can't find it anywhere...

I am using a datagrid that requires the connection string in the file because it assigns variables for username, host, password, etc. It says that the password should be encrypted beforehand.

I guess this may be a two part question: How do I encrypt the password (I assume in a separate file?) then how do I call define that variable in the current file?

I've searched for a couple hours and all I can find is about encrypting .Net. I guess it's either a bigger problem there or so obvious to PHP coders it's not needed...

Best,
MH

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Asked On
2009-03-21 at 13:47:21ID24252465
Topics

PHP Scripting Language

,

PHP and Databases

Participating Experts
1
Points
500
Comments
8

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Answers

 

by: cxrPosted on 2009-03-21 at 17:04:47ID: 23949540

There is no standard datagrid in php. Which datagrid library are you using? What database are you trying to connect to? Where does it say that the password should be encrypted beforehand?

 

by: MHenryPosted on 2009-03-21 at 17:22:13ID: 23949583

cxr,

It's called PHP DataGrid.
I'm connecting to a mySql database.
It says the password should be encrypted in the instructions.

Best,
MH

 

by: cxrPosted on 2009-03-21 at 17:28:40ID: 23949596

When I google "PHP datagrid" I get 23,900 hits... ;)

Can I get a URL, please?

 

by: MHenryPosted on 2009-03-21 at 17:32:37ID: 23949619

 

by: cxrPosted on 2009-03-21 at 17:57:10ID: 23949697

Thanks. I have done some reading, but not found anything about this.

Have you tried to connect without encrypting the password?

 

by: cxrPosted on 2009-03-21 at 18:05:21ID: 23949717

I downloaded the free version and checked the source. There does not seem to be any encryption involved.

 

by: MHenryPosted on 2009-03-21 at 18:12:37ID: 23949731

cxr,

Yes, I know it's not necessary to encrypt the password to get it working, but if you don't it's a security hole.

I don't know why all this matters anyway. I want to know how to encrypt the password. It doesn't really matter which application I'm running...

But, if you look here:
http://www.apphp.com/php-datagrid/index.php?page=installation

And then look at the commented out string behind $DB_PASS, it recommends that the password be encrypted.

Step 4. Editing some important values.

        $DB_USER='name';       /* usually like this: prefix_name           */
        $DB_PASS=' ';          /* must be already encrypted (recommended) */
        $DB_HOST='localhost';  /* usually localhost                        */
        $DB_NAME='dbName';     /* usually like this: prefix_dbName         */

Best,
MH

 

by: cxrPosted on 2009-03-21 at 18:23:14ID: 23949762

Yes, I did see that. But I checked the source, and there is no decrypting there. In other words, you must provide the password in clear text, as far as I can tell.

I agree it could be more secure, but it is not a security hole, at least not any more than any other database application I have seen. The php files are "protected" in the sense that you must have read access to the php files to be able to see the password. It's not like html, where you can use the "View source" feature in the browser to see the code.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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