Chapter 1: The Access Protection and Security Driving Instructions


Welcome to my first book on my favorite topic, Microsoft Access. I hope you enjoy reading the book and that it will add yet more luster to the desktop/network database that keeps coming up trumps for millions of users around the world.

In this chapter, I summarize what you will learn about Microsoft Access database protection and security from this book. I also include some "driving instructions" that you can use to identify and locate the information that is relevant to you. This chapter includes an explanation of how to use the demonstration material that comes with the book; and, for those of you who want to get started right away, I outline two simple security measures that you can deploy without too much complication. To complete the chapter, I discuss whether upgrading software will improve your security and, as you will find at the end of every chapter, I have included a list of Web pages and help material that you can follow up on to read more about the topics raised in the chapter.

What's this Book Going to do for You?

Microsoft Access is the most popular desktop database in the world today, which means that many people have investigated its security measures and some have worked out ways to get around them. Coupled with that, Access is a versatile database designed for both developers and users. When you first set up a database, it comes with all its security turned off and all the developer tools turned on. This book tells you how to turn on the security properly and also shows you how to protect the investment that you have made in the database.

This book also describes the issues and demonstrates best practice protection and security for Access. I will discuss internal Access security and protection and folder permissions of modern operating systems. Where possible, I will show you strategies to combine both of these security measures to create a number of layers of defense for your database. If you properly adopt and use the protection methods outlined in this book, you should be able to thwart all but the most determined and skilled users and hackers. So what is it that you are trying to secure? I'll discuss that now.

Learn What it is that We are Trying to Secure

From the outset, I must inform you that good Access security will require you to set up many roadblocks of different types to keep your database villain at bay. Among the many things that you need to do to secure your database:

  • Hide the important Access menu commands that expose the objects in your database.

  • Stop people from importing your objects into another database.

  • Stop people from getting to your treasured code and objects.

  • Make sure that people use the user interface that you create for the database.

  • Keep the workgroup file that maintains your internal security from your database users.

Unfortunately, if you implement each of these measures on its own, you will be able to lay claim to having only good quality protection and, arguably, some security. To make any security fail-safe, you need to combine different internal protection measures and touch that up with operating system security, all that while understanding the flaws of an old and popular product such as Access.

Setting the Record Straight on Access Security

This book tells you what Access security is, how you apply it, and how to determine whether it works. The book is very pragmatic because in most cases, Access security isn't very secure anymore, and labeling it that way is misleading, because it is only really offers protection. It is only when you set it up in a certain way and then combine different Access security and protection techniques that you end up with best-practice security for your database. If you then store your databases in operating system-protected folders and open the databases by using secured shortcut techniques, you can lay claim to a secure system because people will have great difficult copying the database; and then when they do, they will be unlikely to unravel your internal security.

If you are a seasoned Access programmer and feel that you have security covered, let this book be the wake-up call that makes you re-assess the database security that you have been involved in. If there is one message that you take from this book, be it that you need to schedule regular reviews of your database security because no matter how good your skills, things can change over time, especially where humans are involved. This means that many Access users and developers are aware of its vulnerabilities and therefore may be able to use those on your database. Worse still, some companies have developed password-cracking software that decodes the built-in Access security. As a result, Access developers have to be extra diligent when it comes to protecting their databases, and this book shows you how to shore up your defenses.

Note  

As many publications for enterprise issues such as secure Internet sites and big company operating system security will tell you, security works best when there are multiple layers of defense. Because the files that form the Access system are just that ”files ”Access database security relies not only on the techniques that I have outlined in this book but many other security systems such as firewalls, operating systems, networks, physical security, and of course, the biggest issue of them all, people.

Find Out How to Protect Your Investment

This book aims to achieve a lot more than helping you keep people from stealing your database or code. It's all about doing things that will protect the investment that you made in your database. To help achieve this, this book has extensive coverage on issues such as

  • Appropriate database options.

  • Good programming practices, such as splitting databases and error handling.

  • Backing up and recovering databases, tables, and objects.

  • User surveillance.

  • Setting up, implementing, and protecting your menus .

But Will it Take a Long Time?

Most databases can be secured in less than a week, and quite a lot of techniques that I will illustrate can be done in less that a day or so, especially with some of the tools that I have provided. So read the book that I am happy to have written for you, and good luck. In the meantime, you are probably already wondering how much work this is going to mean for you, so I have prepared driving instructions so that you can quickly find the material that is relevant to your situation.




Real World Microsoft Access Database Protection and Security
Real World Microsoft Access Database Protection and Security
ISBN: 1590591267
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 176

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