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  1. #1
    Tandem is offline Novice
    Windows 7 64bit Access 2016
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
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    15

    Backend Security with Front End Which Launches in Full Screen

    I work at a not for profit daycare. Our database is coming along nicely. One problem, though.

    The goal is to host the back-end in a shared folder on the computer at our front desk, and distribute the front-end to the rest of the computers in the office. The issue is that the front-end I've developed opens to a full-screen login prompt. The whole user's experience of the front-end takes place in full-screen. If I encrypt the back-end and then try to open the front-end, I get the login interface which I designed, but I can't log in because Access's password prompt is (I assume) behind my password prompt.

    How can I have a decently secure back-end with this UI design? Should I just leave it un-encrypted and make sure that only certain computers can access it? My coworkers have mostly no knowledge of databases. Thanks

    EDIT: What about using password sharing on the shared folder? Would this suffice?

  2. #2
    ranman256's Avatar
    ranman256 is offline VIP
    Windows Vista Access 2010 32bit
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Kentucky
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    9,521
    if the BE exists on a share that can ONLY be accessed by the listed users, then you should be fine.
    Unauthorized users cant get to the db.
    FE users don't need to know the path, only the app does.

  3. #3
    Tandem is offline Novice
    Windows 7 64bit Access 2016
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    Apr 2016
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    I will just do that, then. The database doesn't have extremely sensitive information anyway. Thanks.

  4. #4
    ssanfu is offline Master of Nothing
    Windows XP Access 2010 32bit
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    Sep 2010
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    Anchorage, Alaska, USA
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    9,664
    Here is another method to "secure" the BE. Change the extension....... example: from ".accdb" to "sysdb"

    Try this as a test:
    1) The dB MUST be split
    2) Does not need to be encrypted!
    3) Make a copy of the BE (for safety)
    4) Rename the copy of the BE to something like "Do_NOT_DELETE.sysdb". (This alone should keep unwanted people out.)
    5) Re-link the FE to the BE named "Do_NOT_DELETE.sysdb" (or whatever you renamed the copy).
    6) Close the FE, then open the FE normally.

    If you double click the (renamed) BE, you will get a dialog box asking which program to use to open the file.

    If you choose "Select from a list", then select Access, the renamed BE WILL open.
    BE SURE
    to uncheck "Always use the selected program to open this kind if file"


    To be safe, rename "Do_NOT_DELETE.sysdb", back to "YourDBName.accdb" (whatever your original BE was named) to make design changes.


    Also, whenever making a backup, rename the BE file to a "normal" name and extension (ie "YourDBName.accdb") to hide what you ave done.

  5. #5
    Tandem is offline Novice
    Windows 7 64bit Access 2016
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
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    15
    That is a very interesting perspective on the problem. Thanks for the idea, but I'm just going to go the simple route since there is a non savvy end-user. Great thinking, though.

  6. #6
    NTC is offline VIP
    Windows 7 64bit Access 2013
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    2,392
    I am wondering about this point in the original post: "but I can't log in because Access's password prompt is (I assume) behind my password prompt."

    That shouldn't be the case. But I haven't worked with an encrypted BE file in a long time and now I can't remember the details. You might look up the topic at Microsoft to be sure you've implemented it per their instructions - - as I think the FE should link to the BE without any external PW prompt as it is part of the FE.

    The user log in that you have built is, from the database perspective, just another form - - temporarily turn that off - - open the FE and see if you can open tables via the navigation pane.....

Please reply to this thread with any new information or opinions.

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