Disabling COM access

[James D Carroll]

We use a third party tool that delivers truly crucial functionality. The
problem is that it also exposes a COM programming interface that users can
program using tools such as Access or even Word.

Is there a way to disable a user's ability to access the COM interfaces
without denying access to the normal functionalities of the software?


THANKS!!!

 

[Roger Abell]

You should check over in an msdn newsgroup.
In general, if the COM component is not yours
so that you could change its source to program
in a role, you will probably only find things that
can make use of the component's interfaces more
difficult but not impossible, at least if those that
should be able to use the component are those
from whom you wish to so disable programatic
access.
COM components have a ProgID and may have
and AppID entry in the registry, one being a unique
128 bit string and the other a friendly name. If you
know that what you do want to use instances the
component using the ProgID string then you could
probably get away with removing the AppID entry,
making it harder for them. Similarly, you could also
remove the typelib so that their dev environment would
be blind about the component and its syntax. Finally,
if those that you want to guard the component from are
not those that need to use some application that instances
it then you could explore use of permissions on the reg
entries of the component.