Security and "Open Remote"

[Hoib]

Hello and Happy 2014 to all.

 

I would like to ask a basic security type question.  We run our solution on FM12 (soon to be FM13) Pro Advanced on a cloud based server.  We unfortunately cannot afford the steep cost of FM Server, so at the clients workstations, we run FM12 Pro and use "Open Remote" to attach ourselves to the running cloud based solution.  This does work pretty well for a "poor man's server" arrangement. We are using Username/Password protection on all clients who gain access to the running solution via Open Remote.

 

We were wondering about security with this method.  Are the communications back and forth on that Open Remote session encrypted in any way?

 

Then, let me ask this:  If we were able to use FM Server at our site (forsaking the cloud based operation), are those communications safeguarded or are there special provisions needed at the source and destination?

 

That's what I'd like to know in order to try to justify somewhat the cost of Server...

 

Thanks.

 

H

[Fitch]

FM Server offers SSL among its many advantages. 

 

Have you considered using a FileMaker hosting company?

[Hoib]

Wish we could but a couple of things oppose that.  Connection speed is low.  With the solution in the cloud as it stands now, we're waiting a long time between screens.  We do know that running off the server in the building, it's 100 times faster.   There are reasons we're in the cloud at present but that's a borrowed resource which we don't own.  And we haven't yet asked about the cost of a "hosting service".   A non-profit outfit has little spare cash.

 

Still, would like to know if Open Remote provides any security for the connection to/from the copy of FM Pro Advanced.

 

H

[Fitch]

With non-server sharing, what you see in the Sharing dialog is what you get: you can opt to not display the file in the Open Remote dialog, and you can limit network access to specified privilege sets. 

 

Yes, LAN speeds will always beat WAN. It's not clear to me what exactly you mean by "in the cloud" and why you're doing that. 

[Steven H. Blackwell]

OK, some confusion here.

 

If you do not control the server, you really have no idea where the data are or the conditions of the environment where they exist.

 

Sending credentials to a remote FileMaker Server machine is reasonably safe. However, the data transfers between that server and the FIleMaker Pro clients are not--by default--encrypted.  To encrypt them, you must select the SSL option in the Server Admin Console.

 

"Cloud" vrs. "Hosting Service" is a distraction.  It's how the server is configured that counts here.

 

New in FIleMaker® Server 13 and FIleMaker® Pro 13 is the ability to encrypt the data at rest in the files.  This is an important option.  I recommend you use it.

 

Overall, I believe you will be better off with the server on your premises.  You will incur two sets of costs here: licensing and hardware. FileMAker, Inc. does have discounted pricing for not-for-profit organizations.

 

I hope this helps clarify your situation.  If you have further questions, please advise.  What specific threats to your data have you identified?

 

Steven

[Wim Decorte]

 

Still, would like to know if Open Remote provides any security for the connection to/from the copy of FM Pro Advanced.

 

 

To expand on what Steven has said: ONLY FileMaker Server has the ability to encrypt the data in transit.  There is no such encryption possible if you are using FMPro as your host.