How to Lock Down that .accdr!
How to Lock Down that .accdr!
Mark EdwardsPresident/Chief Architect at VBA Office Solutions, LLC
With all the issues surrounding Access app security like a Navigation Pane that won’t stay hidden, or being able to change the extension on a .accdr file name to .accde or .accdb to crack it open, etc., I’ve been busting my bun trying to figure out how to lock one of these dragons down PERMANATLEY and I think I’ve done it. Please tell me if there are any holes in this technique (it may not be new, but I haven’t heard of it yet….
At a minimum:
1. Make a backup copy of your application file.
2. Make your startup code run this first before anything else:
If Right(CurrentDB.Name,1)<>”r” then
Msgbox “I’m sorry, but this is NOT a .accdr runtime file.”,vbCritical,”Not a Runtime File:”
Quit
End if
3. Disable the Shift key on startup (to prevent your startup code from being stopped).
4. Convert the file to a .accde.
5. Change the file name extension from .accde to .accdr
The idea is since your startup code is forced to run and the app won’t stay open if it isn’t an .accdr, the app is useless if the extension is changed.
Now try to break into it (without a clever utility tool).
Hope this helps some of you folks looking for a solution….