I want to provide the ability to query the underlying mysql db on a rails-powered site to visitor on the web. The most transparent way seems to be able to take the text in a textbox and pass it to an sql connection.
However, I'd want to hide the user/password details and only make certain content tables available. Also, I only want to provide read access. Is there a convenient way to do this? It would be better if there were convenient view helpers too. Any gems like this? Perhaps something similar to PHP's MyAdmin?
The solution to this is more about configuring your database rather than finding special code.
You need to create a user in your MySQL database and grant read-only privilege to a subset of tables of your choice. Use this user in your connection string for queries from your "raw" SQL page. This is the only place you'll have to change code and all it involves is using a different connection string from your other code.
Here's an object-specific example of granting read-only permissions to a user.
To help manage this issue on the server you could make use of a schema.
Related
So we've got a MYSQL database with very sensitive information and we want to prevent it from being exported by a developer/admin who has access to it, while still allowing them to access database while working on their duties.
In simple terms we want to prohibit mass select on specific tables.
Ideally it would be an option to disable mass select, something like limit 0, 1 enforcement for all SELECT queries on specific tables. Is it possible to configure MYSQL like that? Any other ideas how to prevent database from being exported?
Any solution I can think of when someone needs to access your production data within MySQL and you want to apply the principle of least privilege leads to separation of users and to the page on GRANT command in MySQL documentation.
But as I said in a comment to you question, it is much easier to develop a procedure to generate an impersonated sample of your data, so that your developers would not have access to the production data.
I've searched for an answer to this and all I can seem to find are questions asking whether it is better to use multiple databases or multiple tables in a single database. This isn't my question though.
QUESTION 1.
I want to set up a new database alongside my current DB and don't know how. I want to give a user full admin access to DB2 without seeing DB1. This way I can host a friend's site and they can create and delete as many tables as they want without disturbing my own DB. I could also use it for demo sites that aren't secure and shouldn't exist inside my primary DB.
I figure I could do this pretty easily with a virtual machine and run a separate instance of MySQL but my resources are limited so that isn't really an option.
I'd like to set this up in one of 2 ways. I would prefer to have "server.example.com" host both DBs and open the proper DB based on user login. If not I could do it routing to server1.example.com and server2.example.com.
QUESTION 2.
If this isn't possible I'd like to know how to properly set up restricted access to a single DB in sequel pro. I have been messing around with it and so far prefer it to PHPMyAdmin. For some reason if I set up a new user with no permissions they have full access to my 'information_schema' and 'test' tables but can't create new tables. I don't want other users to access these tables though and I want them to be able to set up their own tables. I'd like to set it up so a new user can create a limited number of tables and only see and edit those tables. I can't seem to find information on this either.
Even if my first question is possible I'd like to know the answer to question 2. I've been searching for a long time and can't find reliable information anywhere. Maybe my brain is just tired...
You can set up multiple instances of mysql but for your situation you are better off creating different databases within the same instance.
You can create databases and then add users that only have access to manipulate the database they are given and nothing else.
Essentially the heirarchy is as follows:
Mysql (root or any other super user can see everything)
- Your DB
- Your Users
- Your tables/functions/Procedures/etc
- Their DB
- Their Users
- Their tables/functions/procedures/etc.
You basically separate the access for each, and in PHPMyAdmin it is very easy. The steps are:
Add Database )
Add User, restricting them to that database allowing only priveleges you want to give to that user and only to that database. (Guide here)
You can grant access to different database to different user using GRANT in MySQL.
https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/grant.html has the information you need.
The most simple you can do is
CREATE DATABASE db_for_user_a
CREATE DATABASE db_for_user_b
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON db_for_user_a.* TO user_a IDENTIFIED BY 'user_a_s_password'
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON db_for_user_b.* TO user_a IDENTIFIED BY 'user_b_s_password'
You are going to need to provide more information about your set up to answer this question of setting up multiple databases specifically.
Servers typically have methods to create multiple databases with software that is designed specifically to run on those platforms (Apache, and Windows server are a couple servers that can run software like WAMP or phpMyAdmin to manage these databases).
And in answer to the permissions: Yes, you can designate users that can have specific privileges on one, both, or neither of the databases. But, you can also set up table-specific roles and actions as well. This is more obvious with Microsoft's management studio though, where Mysql you may want to use something like Mysql Workbench initially.
On cPanel, for example, you can add a new database if your host allows it. On windows, you'll have to use other tools to set up a new database.
In answer to your first inquiry, each database requires its own connection, and there are database-wide operations that you can do such as migration and backups. A rule of thumb is to only keep entirely separate data in different databases, unless there is absolutely a reason to separate types of information into a different kind of database for efficiency. Typically, you do not relate data between different databases except for much more complex situations.
You can create separate databases and use them separately in sequel pro, I believe. Most platforms have an option to create a new db in the databases list.
Well I think I was confusing some stuff here. I apologize for that. I was calling databases 'tables'.
I was wanting to allow users to create new databases but not see the ones that others create. I think I can make this work by just limiting permissions and allowing users to access one or two databases.
It seems like PHPMyAdmin has some easier to use options than Sequel Pro. I've only briefly used it in the past but I'll give it another shot.
As for command line stuff, I love being able to work in command line but I don't know all the commands so it makes things generally difficult to figure out and the man pages weren't all that helpful.
Thank you for your answers and I'm sorry for my newbie questions.
I found out after a while that a component used on my website had an unfiltered parameter, in a WHERE condition in the following settings:
Using Joomla! 1.5, latest update.
The component is custom made, fairly small, and after reading its source I couldn't indentify any other security flaws.
The attacker was using SQLMap to do their work, as I saw its user-agent in the log.
MySQL version is 5.1.11
PHP version is 5.1.4
The database user has USAGE privilege.
The server OS is Linux.
After trying the same steps on my own box, I was able to read the database (and since I'm not an expert in sql injection I'm not sure that was all I could do).
My worry is mostly about the session table, would the attacker be able to impersonate a user from it? Aside from that, is there any chance he could have uploaded some payload to my server?
Also, could he have "magically" updated some field through this SELECT query? (No stacked queries available).
Thanks in advance.
If you can read the database, you can dump it with SQLMap and find the hash of the administrator's password.
With that hash, the attacker could crack it (or if it is MD5, find a collision fairly quickly) and login into your administrator account.
From there, your admin account is screwed. The attacker has admin privileges, so consider your site dead. Worse than that, if Joomla is like Wordpress, the attacker can use a custom PHP code in the theme, which allows them to drop to OS level and modify your Joomla installation.
In short, they can screw up your server, as Joomla executes arbitrary PHP code when it is run.
We need to deploy application(developed by Java) WAR file in client place which make use of MySql 5.0. But we would like to restrict the client (the application owner, not the webpage visitor) from modifying any data in the database. Is there any way to protect data. The client can make use of the application but they should not be able to change any value in database. How to do that?
Manage Role/User permissions
Create an sql user (you should already have one), which will have only SELECT permission. So it would be something like
GRANT SELECT ON db_base.* TO db_user#'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'db_passwd';
http://kb.mediatemple.net/questions/788/HOWTO:+GRANT+privileges+in+MySQL
http://blog.wl0.org/2010/01/managing-mysql-grants/
http://www.ntchosting.com/mysql/grant.html
Check links below for further reading
FOR MySQL
Best Practice for Designing User Roles and Permission System?
http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mysql/article.php/3311731/An-introduction-to-MySQL-permissions.htm
http://www.devshed.com/c/a/MySQL/MySQL-User-Account-Management/
Can't set permissions on MySQL user
http://www.aquafold.com/d7/docs/BD5C99E4-3B55-C812-8318-6338A9A89ED9.html
FOR SQL Server.
http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mysql/article.php/3311731/An-introduction-to-MySQL-permissions.htm
http://www.mssqlcity.com/Articles/Adm/SQL70Roles.htm
http://www.sql-server-performance.com/articles/dba/object_permission_scripts_p1.aspx
https://web.archive.org/web/1/http://articles.techrepublic%2ecom%2ecom/5100-10878_11-1061781.html
http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/2246271/Managing-Users-Permissions-on-SQL-Server.htm
This is impossible; if you deploy the application at the client, he will have the credentials and will be able to log into the MySQL database and pretent he is the application. And thus he can make any change to the database that your application can.
The only way to solve this securely is to make a tier between the client and your MySQL database, and make sure that you control this so that it is only possible to make 'legal' changes.
Just write the code accordingly so that the user doesn't have any chance to modify the database? I.e. the code doesn't execute any INSERT or UPDATE and/or controls the access based on a login/role.
I honestly really don't forsee any problems here, or the code must be prone to SQL injection attacks.
Update: The above answer is actually irrelevant since the question is clarified. Turning into Community Wiki.
Is there a way to secure tables in ms access db from unauthorized access? I would like my users to use the forms in the db but i don't want them to see the contents of the tables. I know i can hide a table but anyone who knows just a bit about access can show the hidden tables anyway. I cna also change a name to UsysTableName but again - enabling system tables shows them all. Is there a safer way? Securing by password maybe?
Also in access there are users and groups, and the possibility of granting rights.
You can access this functionality via tools/security/user and group permissions.
You need to create a workgroup information file in order to use this :
see : http://www.databasedev.co.uk/access_security.html
NOTE : Indeed Ms Access is in most cases a poor choice of db. But if you have to keep on using it for one reason or another, learning its security model is imperative in real world apps.
For Access 2003 Understanding the role of workgroup information files in Access security at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305542/.
For Access 2007 How to use the Workgroup Administrator utility in Access 2007 at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918583.
In your case, I suggest moving the tables you want to secure into a different database then link to the User-Interface (front end) database. This allows you more control over security. Using a password only keeps non-users out of the database. Logged in users can still see the tables.
One solution is to have your forms on one side (client side) and your tables on the other side (server side). Each user has only a copy of the forms, and the tables are somewhere else on the network.
Another solution is to install the runtime version of access (free to use) on user's computer. In this case the database window does not appear.
Whatever is you choice, you'll have to fully manage access to commandbars, creating you own ones (and forbidding the display of access commandbars).
If you go for the first solution, you'll be on your way to a real client/server structure, and you'll be able sooner or later to switch to SQL Server for your tables (your forms can then stay in an Access client application).
With some limits, it is possible to completely delete the links to the back-end tables in the front-end/app:
During app open, just use ChDir "\\someShare\someFolder" in VBA
As the source of your forms & reports, use SQL SELECT instead of saved queries/tables, using the syntax: SELECT field1, field2 FROM [BackendName_be.mdb].myTable. Note that the path is NOT specified!
This way the forms/reports will work perfectly, without any table (not even hidden) in the app.
If you put the BE in a hidden folder/share and you deliver an MDE, users will have a very hard time finding where the data is.
This technique has the added benefit to allow instant switching of the back-end (like between test/prod).
Access does a very poor job of securing data in tables. Your users NEED access to the tables in order to work with the data, but you don't want them possibly seeing EVERYTHING. You could encrypt the data in your tables yourself on the fly. I talk about this in my Access Data Encryption seminar.