Re: FW: Security and the ODBC

This whole issue of security or access rights to Informix (and other database engines) when ODBC is used has been discussed several times before in this news group. You may find those discussions at http://www.dejanews.com or at http://www.iiug.org in the repository for c.d.i. I would urge everybody who are interested to read these old posts, and then keep posting about it here in c.d.i. This is important enough for everyone that it should *not* be taken offline. The result of these prior discussions has allways been the same. The only solution arround is to use the OpenLink ODBC drivers (or may be some others have done similar things lately). They have implemented security/access rights options as far as it possible within ODBC. Check information about this at their web site (http://www.openlinksw.com). Even their solution doesn't help if you have set up your database with tcp/ip access. In that case it's too easy for anyone to load another ODBC driver on any PC and connect directly to the database. The only way arround this is if you can live with no tcp/ip connection. The OpenLink drivers can use shared memory access on the server. This is one of the main reasons why I have kept harping to everybody who wanted to listen that they should use the OpenLink ODBC drivers. The only proper solution to all this would be for Informix to implement a similar security/access right system within the I-Connect/I-Net protocol so these rights could be set up on the server. Informix is interested in these issues. I promised Paula Hawthorn who is in charge of this an explanation of the details arround these things and suggestions on how to solve them at the user conference this summer. I have not sent that yet due to a very though scedule since then for other work I have to do. I will soon however. I do think Informix will both understand the problem and come up with a good solution. I would expect it to take some time though. I do however believe that when it's put on their scedule people could still wait some time for it as long as they know it will be solved. Nils.Myklebust@idg.no NM Data AS, P.O.Box 9090 Gronland, N-0133 Oslo, Norway My opinions are those of my company The Informix FAQ is at http://www.iiug.org