Reducing security risks with the Database Results and Interface wizards

Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003

Reducing security risks with the Database Results and Interface wizards

Connecting to a database offers many benefits to Web site builders, but it also poses security risks. When a site visitor views, searches, or otherwise interacts with the information in a database, the site visitor, as an anonymous user, is essentially being allowed to run code inside the database or Web server.

Security risks such as these can be reduced through careful Web page design and database configuration. Microsoft FrontPage creates pages and regions that reduce security risks, but database configuration is a key to helping safeguard your data.

The following information is provided as an introduction to database security to assist you in working to help protect the pages and sites you create by using the Database Interface Wizard and Database Results Wizard.

Disable detailed error messages

If there is a problem connecting to the database or retrieving information, some servers display information about the error so it can be fixed. This information can assist malicious individuals in attacks on your database. FrontPage Database Interface pages and Database Results regions do not display this information automatically.

Use a restricted account for accessing the database

By enabling and password-protecting several accounts that access your database, you can help to prevent users without permissions from gaining access to the database and to limit the access of those with permission to the minimum control they need.

Not all databases support this feature, but you should use it for those that do. Set up a special account for the Web page with strict control over allowable actions. Never use administrator access for this account. The following table shows sufficient permissions for each of the different pages.

If you are using: The account needs these permissions:
A database results region or page Read
A submission form Write
Editor Read, Write, Delete (records only if possible)

Choose a unique password

Protect the database editing pages by using a different username and password from those used for the database or for other resources. If the editor password gets compromised, then your other resources will still be safe.

Carefully design and construct your database

Specify data types and field sizes. This limits both the ability to form malicious requests and how much text a malicious user can enter.

Disable, delete, or control access to stored procedures and built-in macros

Some databases contain built-in macros to delete tables or even entire databases. Make sure a malicious user cannot use them either.

Do not use HTML in database columns

Do not display or allow HTML in any database columns. Although the Database Results Wizard enables you to allow HTML in database columns, this feature should only be used in a trusted environment.