Manage Users Passwords in Workgroup?

[Roger Tregelles]

I have a secured database backend on the network using a workgroup also on
the network and database frontends on individual users PC's. I typically
create a shortcut on the users PC that logs him onto the appropriate
workgroup and enters his user name and password for them. My problem is that
I need to add about 20 users and I cannot figure out an easy way to manage
everyone's passwords all at once. In the past I used the Microsoft Security
Manager for Access 2002 but now I'm using Access 2003 and am not sure it
will work or is the best solution. The only way I currently know how to
change a users password is to use my manual login to my Access system, enter
their username with no password initially and then go to Tools > Security >
User and Group Accounts and manually change it here. There must be an easier
way to manage all of the users in my workgroup and their passwords. Perhaps
the Access Workbench by VB123 would be the best solution but I cannot
convince my boss to purchase this right now. I have the free version 1.3.4
that came with an Access book I purchased but I see no way to do this in
this version. Any help, ideas and insight would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

Roger Tregelles
Quality Assurance Engineer

 

[TC]

Huh? So if Tom goes to Mary's PC, and starts your application, Tom will
automagically be logged-on as Mary?

That seems like a fundamental mis-use of username/password security, to
me! The username is meant to identify the specific human user who is
running the software. The password is the guarantee (such as it is)
that it really /is/ that user.

Surely you should at least require them to enter their password?

HTH,
TC

 

[Roger Tregelles]

TC,

When the Software Requirements specification for my databases were created
this was a prerequisite. All users here are required to logoff (Windows Key
+ L) when not at their PC's, and other users are forbidden from using their
PC's. The shortcut on their desktop just helps to expedite the process of
logging into the database and eliminates the need to remember another user
name and password. Anyway, your comment, while appreciated does not help to
answer my question. How can I manage all of the users from my PC as the
Administrator and setup their passwords. Whether I have them use a shortcut
or not I still need to setup their information in the workgroup file. Thanks
for any help and direction provided.

Roger Tregelles
Quality Assurance Engineer

 

[TC]

The NewPassword method lets any member of the Admins group, erase any
other user's password. But I can't remember whether it lets you change
the other user's password to a nonblank value. Check it out in Access
help (I don't have Access here to check).

HTH,
TC

 

[jacksonmacd]

You are correct. The best you can do is to erase the user's password.

The NewPassword method lets any member of the Admins group, erase any
other user's password. But I can't remember whether it lets you change
the other user's password to a nonblank value. Check it out in Access
help (I don't have Access here to check).

HTH,
TC

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[TC]

Thanks. I couldn't remember. I guess this stops an administrator:

- changing another user's password to something else;
- using that password to impersonate the user & do something bad, then
- chaging the user's password back to what it was originally.

The adminstrator could then accuse the user of having done the bad
thing. "It had to be you, no-one else could log-on with your password."

Cheers,
TC