Is Hiding Databases A Good Idea?

In case you missed my previous discussions on Access 2007 security, Workgroup security (otherwise knows as User Level Security) will not be supported in the new ACCDB file format. This led me to think about other approaches we can use to protect the database and one that springs to mind is Windows File Security. One idea that I discussed a while ago with a friendly chap was hiding files in Windows Folders. Ie

Right click on a File in Windows Explorer and select Hidden Attribute check box

What I would like to find out from experienced Access DBA's is
"Is the hidden file attribute a good way to protect your database?”

To help me (and 5000 readers) out on this, head to the vb123 blog site to see the rest of the conversation that we had on this topic and then post your ideas and knowledge on this topic.

Post your thoughts at http://vb123.blogspot.com/

-- Related Stories --

More on notes on Windows Security
http://www.vb123.com/toolshed/04_docs/accessdb_op_security.htm

There is also more on the topic in Chapter 12 of my book with supplementary notes on Windows XP here
http://www.vb123.com/get/Ch12WinXPProNotes.pdf

Tip - Where are your mail files

To work out where your Outlook PST file lives (for backup and recovery), you should be able to go to Control Panel then Mail then Data Files to find out. Use the Settings button to compact the file.
 

Our VB123 News Feed

The news feed at vb123.com is being updated regurly with great Access related links and is one of the few independent Access related feeds going around. Here is the RSS link for your reader

http://www.vb123.com/news/rss1.xml

Note: The latest versions of The Toolshed and The Workbench have links to html versions of the vb123.com RSS news feed.

If you don't have a RSS/XML news reader
Click here to view the latest vb123 links and news feeds as HTML 
 

GOOD READING

Find out about the changed Office 2007 user interface in the video format http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/ui/demo.mspx

To build software that meets your security objectives, you must integrate security activities into your software development lifecycle. This handbook captures and summarises the key security engineering activities that should be an integral part of your software development processes. A 5 meg ebook http://www.microsoft.com/uk/msdn/security/dev_highway.mspx

Discussions on Google spreadsheet.
http://www.adtmag.com/article.aspx?id=18709
What about a collaborative database that worked online at very low cost, makes you think!

Lock down your files using VB.net
http://www.ftponline.com/vsm/2006_02/magazine/features/jjarvinen/

This article demonstrates how the new COPY_ONLY option in the backup command does not affect the archive point, thereby not affecting the restore process.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2b5t,1,bj3i,6xt5,39gr,amjy

Regulatory Compliance Demystified: An Introduction to Compliance for Developers
http://msdn.microsoft.com/security/

Learn how to take advantage of SQL Server 2005 TableDiff functionality to compare tables.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2chr,1,e9tx,bz0z,39gr,amjy

Early posts on security in Access 2007
http://blogs.msdn.com/access/archive/2005/11/01/488022.aspx

A page on macro security signatures in VBA
http://support.globalsign.net/en/objectsign/vba.cfm

Query by Form (QBF) Using Dynamic QueryDef (ie VBA)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B117544

Front Page programming
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/

Lots of stories about running a software business
https://partner.microsoft.com/40009706

Reduce your VB code vulnerability
http://www.ftponline.com/special/security/gettingstarted/
in the same article, I particularly like the notes on cryptography in vb.net verses home grown solutions.

Microsoft confirms RSS plans
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-5759738.html?tag=nl

Microsoft to Acquire a Leading Provider of SSL VPN and Application Security Technologies
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/

Learn how to tape old records to mp3 and then remove the hiss
http://www.acoustica.com/spinitagain/

Creating Custom Ribbons in Office 2007
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/ms406046(office.12).aspx

Other Access Sites

If you like this newsletter, why not try

Everything Access
http://www.everythingaccess.com/

Superior Software for Windows Newsletter
Access, SQL Server and .NET Downloads
http://www.ssw.com.au

Rick Dobson’s Web Site for Access Programmers
http://www.programmingmsaccess.com

Helen Feddema - Book Author and Editor of Woody’s Access Watch
http://www.helenfeddema.com/

UK Access User Group
http://www.ukaug.co.uk/


WRAPPING THIS EDITION UP

One reader recently asked what I do about help files and informing users about changes to products. In most of the custom software projects that we undertake, the budget doesn't stretch to good help files and improvements are generally handled by a simple What's News link on the main page of the database.

That said, the attitude that we take for significant packages such as The Workbench is a lot different. For that software we have a golden rule "The software cannot be released as a new version until the help file is up to date". One of the ways that we keep track of that is to always publish the changes to the software onto a single improvements page. This is both good for the users and for the help authors as it provides a guide of what help is still to be created or reviewed. You can find Workbench improvements at the following page.

http://www.vb123.com/workbench/improvements.htm

To celebrate the latest release of the Workbench, you can pickup the software cheaply at RegNow for only $50, a saving of $40. This offer only exists till the end of the financial year. Click here for the special offer

 

So thanks for reading our popular newsletter. Feel free to make comments, copy the email to a friend or maybe even contribute to the next edition. And if you can, have a look at our software by using the Marketing section on the left hand side of this newsletter. If you really like this newsletter, why not purchase The Toolshed and you will get all the other newsletters and plenty more in a developer’s knowledge base tool with super searching facilities.
 

Garry Robinson - Software Consultant and Author
Microsoft Office Access MVP
 

--- The end of this edition of Access Unlimited ---

PS Don’t forget the Workbench … http://www.vb123.com/workbench/

 


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Published  2006-06

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