User Level Security after ACCDB

[accessuser1023]

Hi guys,

This thread explains a little bit: http://www.access-programmers.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=243395

How have you guys handled the fact the ULS has been discarded with the new file formats? I have a file right now that I am looking at and the ULS dialogs still show all of the workgroup information that was apparently brought over from a previous MDB file. Does this possibly mean that the workgroup still exists and is associated with the file, but none of the features can be used since the file ext. is a new one?

comment welcome. thanks.

 

[GinaWhipp]

There is no way to use ULS once you switch to the new format (.ACCDB). What is used depends on what you want to protect. If you want true security, time to upsize the backend to SQL Server. If you post exactly what you are trying to protect we can post solutions.

 

[accessuser1023]

Gina,

The people that I work for generally don't have much money to spend on projects like this, and therefore they wouldn't buy SQL Server licenses. Basically all they want is different rights for different users. Heck, for that I can simply write some customizable code that shuts specific users out of specific functions based on who is using the database. I'm pretty sure I can store the user information in the front end in one single table and then throw the rest of the tables into the back end.

What do you think about that?

 

[ButtonMoon]

Hi guys,

This thread explains a little bit: http://www.access-programmers.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=243395

How have you guys handled the fact the ULS has been discarded with the new file formats? I have a file right now that I am looking at and the ULS dialogs still show all of the workgroup information that was apparently brought over from a previous MDB file. Does this possibly mean that the workgroup still exists and is associated with the file, but none of the features can be used since the file ext. is a new one?

comment welcome. thanks.

"User Level Security" in Access was always a lie. If you wanted a way to control user interface features based on user credentials then that's easy to achieve in your own code. If you want a secure database based with role-based permissions then you need to put your data into a DBMS with those features built in: SQL Server, Oracle or any other popular client-server DBMS.

 

[GinaWhipp]

accessuser1023,

SQL Server Express is free so nothing to buy but...

If all they want is different rights for different Users, have a look at...

http://www.access-diva.com/f10.html

OR

http://www.access-diva.com/f7.html

...should get you started which is along the lines of what you suggested.

 

[ButtonMoon]

Gina,

The people that I work for generally don't have much money to spend on projects like this, and therefore they wouldn't buy SQL Server licenses.

They don't need to buy a licence for SQL Server Express.

Basically all they want is different rights for different users. Heck, for that I can simply write some customizable code that shuts specific users out of specific functions based on who is using the database. I'm pretty sure I can store the user information in the front end in one single table and then throw the rest of the tables into the back end.

What is it you want to protect though? Apparently not the data. Switching off features in the UI is a good way to make users think their data is "safe" when it isn't. That's arguably worse than not securing things at all. By deceiving your users into thinking their data is somehow protected they may be tempted into storing data that they wouldn't have done had they known the truth: that the database is an open book to anyone who can access it.