Security Problems trying to de-secure a database

[rjweiss777]

Greetings:

Here’s my dilemma. I have been asked by a company to perform what I
thought would be a simple task. The company has a small tcp/ip lan setup
and has two databases on the network. All of the computers, the network,
and the databases were set up by individuals from other companies, each
adding their own unique touch. These people are not around any longer.



Is there any way to take a database that currently uses a workgroup
information file called AEC.mdw which contains the security information
for the database and change it so that the database points back to the
generic System.mdw workgroup information file that all databases point
to initially when Access is originally loaded?



The database resides on a network server. The AEC.mdw workgroup
information file also resides on the network server in the same
directory. All of the machines that are running Microsoft Access have
joined the AEC.mdw workgroup that resides on the network server.



What the company has requested is that all of the machines point back to
the original System.mdw workgroup information file (so that no login or
security information is required for any current or new databases that
are created).



The catch is, if you set Access to point back to the System.mdw file
when you try to open the databases that have security information
relevant to the AEC.mdw file then you don’t have permission to even open
the database.



There are other development projects in the works and the users are
complaining about having to reset the environment to AEC.mdw then back
to the System every time they change databases. It’s confusing and
cumbersome.



I have read the Access Security FAQ and followed section 34 on how to
de-secure a database. I have followed (at least everything that it said
to do) and I still can’t disengage from the AEC.mdw file. I was able to
get rid of the passwords but when I tried to open the database with
access joined to the System.mdw file it said I didn’t have the
permissions to access the database.



Unless I can work around this I’m going to have to create a new database
(that is pointing to the vanilla System.mdw) then I’m going to have to
figure out a way to export or import all of the forms, tables, queries
and reset the relationships for about 65 or so tables.



Does anyone have any ideas?

I would really appreciate any help. I’m needing a fresh perspective.


--
Thanks,
RJ


Posted via http://dbforums.com

 

[Connie]

Unfortunately, you may be stuck. The whole point in
securing a database is to do exactly what it is
doing...preventing unauthorized persons from accessing
and copying the database. In everything that I have read
to date on joining a database to a workgroup (other than
the system one), your only recourse is to create
shortcuts on the desktop for each database and set the
target path.

See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 305542 for an
example of the necessary path (and more on workgroup info
files).

Hope this helps.

 

[Joseph Meehan]

Do you have administrator - owner secured access to the database? If
not, I don't think there is an answer. Never allow someone to set up a
database in a business without having more than one persona with full access
rights.

 

[Lynn Trapp]

RJ,
If you can log on as a member of the Admins group, then you can desecure
the database doing the following:

1. Log on as member of the Admins group.
2. Add the Admin user to the Admins group.
3. Give the User's group full permissions to ALL objects in the database.
4. Change the Admin User's password to a blank.
5. Have all users join the system.mdw workgroup

If you cannot log on as a member of the admins group, then you will need to
use a shortcut with the /wrkgrp switch in it.

--
Lynn Trapp
MS Access MVP
www.ltcomputerdesigns.com
Access Security: www.ltcomputerdesigns.com/Security.htm

 

[Joan Wild]

RJ,
If you can log on as a member of the Admins group, then you can desecure
the database doing the following:

1. Log on as member of the Admins group.
2. Add the Admin user to the Admins group.
3. Give the User's group full permissions to ALL objects in the database.
4. Change the Admin User's password to a blank.
5. Have all users join the system.mdw workgroup

6. Open Access, create a new database and import all objects from the old.

 

[Lynn Trapp]

Thanks Joan!

--
Lynn Trapp
MS Access MVP
www.ltcomputerdesigns.com
Access Security: www.ltcomputerdesigns.com/Security.htm