[AccessD] Access Lockdown

jwcolby jwcolby at colbyconsulting.com
Sun May 22 20:29:15 CDT 2011


The back end is a sql server in my office.  The FEs access the data over linked ODBC over the internet.

John W. Colby
www.ColbyConsulting.com

On 5/22/2011 9:18 AM, Rocky Smolin wrote:
> IME, the back end is more important than the front end.  How are you
> securing that?
>
> Are you distributing an mde?
>
> R
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of jwcolby
> Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2011 10:23 PM
> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
> Subject: Re: [AccessD] Access Lockdown
>
> For the first time I am setting up a database which will be used by unknown
> users.  I am trying hard to keep prying eyes out.
>
> John W. Colby
> www.ColbyConsulting.com
>
> On 5/22/2011 1:18 AM, Rocky Smolin wrote:
>> As an aside - why do you need this level of security?
>>
>> R
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
>> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of jwcolby
>> Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2011 9:52 PM
>> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
>> Subject: Re: [AccessD] Access Lockdown
>>
>> Well, I have locked it down as tight as possible using these methods.
>> I added a field to my application for the destination directory, then
>> a button to do the copy, then set these properties false.  I hid every
>> single table, query, form etc. and added code to the application that
>> cleared the "show hidden objects" when my init code runs.
>>
>> No passwords but otherwise reasonably tight.  With no menus you can't
>> get at any of the means of resetting these properties so you pretty
>> much have to use an application like my C2DbProperties to reset them
>> from outside of the database.
>>
>> I am accustomed to seeing everything in design view so after my Copy
>> and Lockdown it is a bit disconcerting to open the database files and
>> see absolutely nothing, and yet the app runs.  Kinda cool actually.
>>
>> So now I can open my C2DbProperties, click the Copy&Lockdown button
>> for the two library files and the application file and I have
>> reasonably tight physical security on the distributed app.
>>
>> John W. Colby
>> www.ColbyConsulting.com
>>
>> On 5/21/2011 9:31 AM, Rocky Smolin wrote:
>>> John:
>>>
>>> I use this in my app and trigger it when the program is an mde:
>>>
>>>        ChangeProperty "StartupForm", dbText, TheOpeningForm
>>>        ChangeProperty "StartupShowDBWindow", dbBoolean, False
>>>        ChangeProperty "StartupShowStatusBar", dbBoolean, False
>>>        ChangeProperty "AllowBuiltInToolbars", dbBoolean, False
>>>        ChangeProperty "AllowFullMenus", dbBoolean, False
>>>        ChangeProperty "AllowBreakIntoCode", dbBoolean, False
>>>        ChangeProperty "AllowSpecialKeys", dbBoolean, False
>>>        ChangeProperty "AllowBypassKey", dbBoolean, False
>>>        ChangeProperty "MenuBar", dbBoolean, False
>>>
>>> Function ChangeProperty(strPropName As String, varPropType As
>>> Variant, varPropValue As Variant) As Integer
>>>        Dim dbs As Object, prp As Variant
>>>        Const conPropNotFoundError = 3270
>>>
>>>        Set dbs = CurrentDb
>>>        On Error GoTo Change_Err
>>>        dbs.Properties(strPropName) = varPropValue
>>>        ChangeProperty = True
>>>
>>> Change_Bye:
>>>        Exit Function
>>>
>>> Change_Err:
>>>        If Err = conPropNotFoundError Then    ' Property not found.
>>>            Set prp = dbs.CreateProperty(strPropName, _
>>>                varPropType, varPropValue)
>>>            dbs.Properties.Append prp
>>>            Resume Next
>>>        Else
>>>            ' Unknown error.
>>>            ChangeProperty = False
>>>            Resume Change_Bye
>>>        End If
>>> End Function
>>>
>>> I also use this to stop them from navigating around in the app other
>>> than through my own menus:
>>>
>>> ' If mde then turn off windows in taskbar and menu bar Set db =
>>> CurrentDb If InStr(1, db.Name, "mde")<>    0 Then
>>>        Me.MenuBar = "=1"
>>>        Access.Application.SetOption "ShowWindowsInTaskbar", False
>>>        On Error GoTo Err_Form_Open
>>> End If
>>>
>>> Not a utility you could run from outside the db but I think you could
>>> easily write one with this code that would set the properties of of a
>>> db you selectr from the standard file open dialog box.
>>>
>>> HTH
>>>
>>> Rocky
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
>>> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of jwcolby
>>> Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2011 5:42 AM
>>> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
>>> Subject: [AccessD] Access Lockdown
>>>
>>> I want to lock down an application as I copy it from my dev directory
>>> to a "live" directory.  I want to set the "display system objects and
>>> "display hidden objects" properties in Options as well as Startup
>>> "Allow full menus", Use Special Keys" etc.
>>>
>>> Has anyone got a utility that sets these properties?
>>>
>>> --
>>> John W. Colby
>>> www.ColbyConsulting.com
>>> --
>>> AccessD mailing list
>>> AccessD at databaseadvisors.com
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>>> Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com
>>>
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