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  1. #1
    bsmithjmu is offline Novice
    Windows XP Access 2007
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    Other database users on network aren't prompted for login as I intended

    Hi everyone.



    I'm creating a database that is located out on the company's network and will be accessed by several employees. They have asked for security so only certain users can see certain information. I converted the database to an MDB and have set up User Level Security.

    Now here's the problem. On my computer, when I open the database I am being prompted to login as I intended. However, when I open the database from other computers on the network, the security is being bypassed and users are not required to login, and they are receiving full permissions. I assumed that they are being automatically logged in as Admin, so I removed Admin from the "Admins" group and it is only left in the "Users" group which I have removed all permissions from. However, other computers are still logging in to the database and are able to access/change all the data.

    How can I ensure that EVERY person/computer that accesses the database from the network will be forced a login prompt?

  2. #2
    pkstormy's Avatar
    pkstormy is offline Access/SQL Server Expert
    Windows XP Access 2003
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    I'm not sure what you mean by 'converted to an mdb' since the mdb is the source level of your application.

    It doesn't sound like you've actually set up MSAccess security though or done it correctly (if that was your goal). If MSAccess security is setup correctly, you would then need to utilize a shortcut which has the parameter that points to the *.mdw file which controls the security to your mdb. Otherwise you would not be able to open the mdb by just clicking on the mdb itself. When MSAccess security is implemented and they use the *.mdw in their shortcut to open the mdb, users you've then designated would be prompted with a password (which is done in setting up the users/groups and saved to the mdw file - hence the need to use it in a shortcut to open the mdb file.)

    You really don't want to remove the admin. Again, when MSAccess security is setup, user's would not be accessing the mdb as admin.

    You may want to google and read up on implementing MSAccess security. It can be tricky if you've never done it before and doesn't seem to make sense until you've actually done it a few times. Once MSAccess security is implemented, the *.mdw file will be the key file that you won't want to lose since again, without it, you couldn't open the mdb file.

    I'm assuming you're using something prior to 2007 since I'm not sure about how 2007 works.

    Still though, if you only want certain users to see certain information at a field level, I'd recommend you utilize a routine to return the user's loginID (such as the Getuser routine in the code repository) and then put in code in your forms to make visible/invisible certain fields based upon the user's loginID and possibly some type of permission table. There is a permission type system example in the code repository or you can find some examples posted throughout different websites. MSAccess security doesn't really make specific fields visible/invisible (it's more of a table level type system) so this is something you'll need to code in if you want this kind of detailed security in your security setup.

  3. #3
    danjc424 is offline Novice
    Windows XP Access 2000
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    Jan 2011
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    I have the same problem

    I do not believe that the problem is any faulty setup of the security. I have the same problem as you. I set up user-level security using the wizard for My Access 2000 database that is located on a shared network drive. Admin was removed from the Admins group and I created a shortcut on my computer to access the database using the newly created mdw file. When I try and access the database on my computer WITHOUT the shortcut, I get denied access, as I should. Other people on the network, however, are able to open the database directly from their computers without any prompting for login and they are logged in as the default Admin. I feel as though the issue is somehow related to the fact that the database is on a network drive.

    Has anyone else experienced this issue and/or resolved it?

    Thanks

  4. #4
    danjc424 is offline Novice
    Windows XP Access 2000
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    Possible Solution

    I did some research on the net and found some obscure access FAQ http://support.microsoft.com/support...#_Toc493299660 which explained that, for some reason, when you create security in a DB, all of the rights are not actually removed from the users group. Even though the permissions menu may appear as though all boxes are unchecked and the group has no rights, for some reason access still leaves some "unseen" rights to this group. So, anyone can access the unsecured database directly by virtue of the fact that they log in as "Admin" which cannot be removed from the Users group. The suggested solution was to create a new database while logged in as the newly created Administrator user and then import the old DB into the new one. Since Access will treat the imports as new tables/queries/reports etc., it will now secure them properly from the Users groups.

    Currently I have not been able to test this out because when I try to export my database, access is unable to import more than half of the data which makes the entire effort pointless. If anyone else tries this, please let me know the outcome.

    Also, if you choose to weed through the above link, I forget exactly where the part is that talked about the Users permissions, but it is in there somewhere.
    Thanks

  5. #5
    pkstormy's Avatar
    pkstormy is offline Access/SQL Server Expert
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    So are all your users logging into their computer as 'Admin' or is it just they are logging into the mdb as Admin?

    Also, there's a utility I used in the code repository which let me see all the users and their passwords in the mdw file.

    I've avoided using MSAccess security myself since I put all my backend tables on SQL Server. It's much easier dealing with SQL Server security than it is with MSAccess security.

  6. #6
    danjc424 is offline Novice
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    They are logging into the mdb as Admin. I do not believe our company network logins are having any impact on what is happening.

    I agree, Ms. Access has so many holes and ways to bypass it, it is sort of useless. Unfortunately the Access security was something I did as a side job. Securing the information through our regular network logins would require more work than I am capable of (I did not work in the MIS department). I guess we will just have to settle for no security.

  7. #7
    kennejd is offline Competent Performer
    Windows XP Access 2007
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    When you set up your security, you would have created a workgroup file (.mdw). Since you're the only member of this group, you're the only person who gets prompted. The default is Admin. You can use the workgroups to apply security, but you need to make sure Admin does not have the permissions on the objects and is not an owner. I like danjc424's suggestion. I've set up security before and never had to mess around with a shortcut that calls the mdw file. I believe you just need to play with it a bit.

  8. #8
    pkstormy's Avatar
    pkstormy is offline Access/SQL Server Expert
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