Retrieve Full Access Without Admin?

[KristieMac]

I recently inheirited a simple little database that runs a proofing application for our company. The problem is, the old admin locked everyone out of the front-end layout options. He was recently removed from the building, & all eyes turned to me to crack this database.

I know NOTHING about FMP. All I know how to do is push the little buttons he created. Is there anyway to restore full access to this program, or do I get to recreate it from the ground up? Any help at all is appreciated. What are my options here?

[Genx]

It all depends on hether or not the full acess account was removed. There are a fair few cracking programs around for less than 100... but they all require the full access account to not have been removed.

Otherwise, your stuck with it.

[IdealData]

You cannot remove full access from a DB. There must always be one account with full access. The exception is if FM Advanced has been used to remove full access - but you don't appear to have FM Advanced.

It maybe that you simply don't have the password that corresponds to the full access account. By default any new databases are created with a "Guest" account as read only (but not enabled) and an "Admin" account with full access and enabled. Neither of these account have a password at this point.

To force FileMaker to give you the option of selecting an account and password hold down the option key when opening the file and try the username "Admin" without a password. If this does not work then you can refer your file to FileMaker who will expose the passwords (for a fee).

[Steven H. Blackwell]

If this does not work then you can refer your file to FileMaker who will expose the passwords (for a fee).

I believe this service was discontinued in the FileMaker Pro 6 era. And since passwords are not stored in the database, they cannot be retrieved therefrom.

Steven

[Genx]

... It sounds like this guy was a bit annoyed in terms of the way he left. So chances are a) either he thought you guys were to daft to work out how to get in there so he didnt bother removing full access or : he really didn't like you and was just protecting his intellectual property (though if he was paid for it it probably wasn't his) or c) he didn't really know what he was doing either so it's still there ... Have you thought of just asking him nicely for it?

[IdealData]

Steven - where are they stored?

Genx - nice idea, but in practise?

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Steven - where are they stored?

They (the passwords) aren't stored anywhere. Since FileMaker® Pro 7, FileMaker Pro stores a hash of the credentials in the file. It does not store passwords in the file or anywhere else for that matter.

More information:

http://www.filemakersecurity.com

Steven

[KristieMac]

Thank you for everyone's advice. I actually paid for a password recovery system; it didn't expose his password, but at least reset it so I could regain full access. Thankfully, everything is still tact. I came across a few other little booby traps, but after a couple of hours, everything is in good shape.

GenX - I think you summed up the situation perfectly. a) he assumes I'm stupid : he really DIDN'T like me after all c) he developed it on company time AND recieved a hefty bonus, so it didn't belong to him despite his thoughts on the matter & d) thankfully, he was a newbie to FMP & didn't know how to lock it down tight enough to keep me out of it.

I'll definately be lurking around here alot more; I can see that I'll have to find better ways to protect this application.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

I'd watch these files very carefully, because you do not know what else that cracker tool may have done to them when it overwrote the stored hash values from the original passwords.

Steven

[Eric Seaberg]

What did you have to go through to have the file reset? What cost?

Thanks... I've got the same problem....

[Steven H. Blackwell]

FileMaker, Inc. no longer retrieves passwords.

Steven