FM v5 - have master password but limited access

[Ch.]

Hi Everyone,

Could anyone please, please help...a militant developer who gained access to a FM database has somehow limited the access (to define fields, ScriptMaker etc), even we though we have the master password and is now holding us to ransom. Is it possible that this has been done in FM Developer or is there another way it could have been done? and can anyone suggest how we might get around this?

Thanks a mil

CH.

[Lee Smith]

By chance did you just migrate these files from a different version? If so, try using the Master Password and Admin in the Startup dialog (Option Key at Startup).

HTH

Lee

[Ch.]

Hi Lee,

Thanks for the suggestion.

Sorry, I should have mentioned that the file is in version 5. I have also converted the file to v7 but still get the same result (in 7) after entering the master password.

Thanks

Ch.

[Lee Smith]

I was confused by the mention of v5 in the post and v7 in the Profile panel.

Another thing that is confusing to me is, how this came about. Did it just suddenly happen, or is there really a " militant developer who gained access" to the files, changed the access privileges?

Lee

[BobWeaver]

Are you sure you really have the master password? Can you get into Access Privileges?

It's possible that the developer used FM developer version to strip out the design data, in which case there's nothing you can do with the file other than use it as is. I'm not sure if a file that has had this done to it could be converted to FM 7 though.

[Ch.]

Hard to believe I know, but someone with the intention of causing harm did this. Not only that, he also caused other mischief in databases that has since been fixed.

We definitely have the master password, and not believing this myself, I got the password cracked by two different individuals and they both came up with the same master password. We can't get into Access Privileges.

Bob - that's what I think may have happened, but the file converted easily to FM 7 and opened with the master password, but again access denied same as in v5.

Ch.

[Ender]

FM Developer does have a utility to "permanently prevent modification of database structure," which disables Define Fields, Define Relationships, and ScriptMaker. This is a feature developers use to keep others from trying to hack into their demos.

I'd suggest you import your data into a previous backup, or contact FileMaker directly.

[BobWeaver]

It's also possible that the File has been modified with a third party utility such as the one sold by New Millennium and others to do what is sometimes called "password shielding." The password cracking programs likely won't detect this.

I'm rather curious now. Is your file small enough (and public enough) that you could post it here for us to have a look?

[Ch.]

Unfortunately the backup idea won't work as...wait for it...he deleted all of them before he left!

I'm going on holidays tomorrow for a week so won't be available from c.3pm GMT.

I appreciate all the help, if even only to confirm to worst.

Ch.

[BobWeaver]

Your user profile is set to not accept private messages. If you want to email me the file you can send it to:

<<edited out my email address for anti-spam reasons>>

I don't need the password. I can figure it out.

[BobWeaver]

Okay, I received the file by email. The master password has not been shielded, which would have been a relatively easy fix. Unfortunately, the renegade developer has stripped the design information from the file using the developer tool's "permanently prevent modification to database structure" option.

However, with the master password, you can still export out all the records, and then import them into an earlier unvandalized backup copy of the file.

[SoCalMacDude]

Two (possibly obvious) points:

1) The person in charge at your company should have an off-site backup of the database, even at an early stage of development, so data could be imported if necessary (too late now!).

2) If it truly is malicious, could you get the police involved, or sue him in small claims court?

Pretty scary!! Good luck!