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  #11  
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d-42
 
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Default Re: Password ransom - 05-16-2007 , 03:23 AM






On May 15, 7:58 pm, Colin Croft <ccr... (AT) iinet (DOT) net.au> wrote:
Quote:
Thank you to all of you for your replies. I've forwarded some of them to
my friend and I'll leave it up to him what he wants to do. I gather he's
leaning towards a complete rewrite.
A complete rewrite certainly dodges the issue, but seriously look at
your legal options.

Even if you can't assert copyright you may be able to assert you have
a right to the master key for your copy.

Consult a lawyer. A couple hundred bucks may save several thousands.

And if you can get the master key, even if you opt for a complete
rewrite being able to see inside the software you have now could
certainly save some effort.

-cheers,
Dave



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Paul Bruneau
 
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Default Re: Password ransom - 05-16-2007 , 07:19 AM






On May 15, 6:12 am, "Ursus" <ursus.k... (AT) wanadoo (DOT) nl> wrote:

Quote:
Second; If there was any way to crack the passwords FileMaker would be a
very unsafe place to store your vulnerable data.
Well from FM version ? right up through v6, FM itself would crack it
for you if you paid them and could show ownership, so I think your
statement is a little optimistic. I do believe however that starting
with v7 they went from a reversable algorhythm to one that is actually
scrambled so that even they cannot break it without brute force.



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  #13  
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d-42
 
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Default Re: Password ransom - 05-16-2007 , 01:19 PM



On May 16, 5:19 am, Paul Bruneau <p... (AT) ethicalpaul (DOT) com> wrote:
Quote:
On May 15, 6:12 am, "Ursus" <ursus.k... (AT) wanadoo (DOT) nl> wrote:

Second; If there was any way to crack the passwords FileMaker would be a
very unsafe place to store your vulnerable data.

Well from FM version ? right up through v6, FM itself would crack it
for you if you paid them and could show ownership, so I think your
statement is a little optimistic. I do believe however that starting
with v7 they went from a reversable algorhythm to one that is actually
scrambled so that even they cannot break it without brute force.
Good to know.

That said, to my knowledge FM databases are not encrypted in any
sense. So if you have physical access to the file the only real
obstacle to your data is an undocumented proprietary file format.
Anyone with patience and a hex editor could probably pull most of the
data out without much trouble.



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  #14  
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Guy
 
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Default Re: Password ransom - 05-16-2007 , 03:05 PM



Unless exporting is locked out, the data is easy... it's all the other stuff
that takes time... layouts, entry screens, relationships, formulae, etc.

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"d-42" <db.porsche (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote

Quote:
On May 16, 5:19 am, Paul Bruneau <p... (AT) ethicalpaul (DOT) com> wrote:
On May 15, 6:12 am, "Ursus" <ursus.k... (AT) wanadoo (DOT) nl> wrote:

Second; If there was any way to crack the passwords FileMaker would be
a
very unsafe place to store your vulnerable data.

Well from FM version ? right up through v6, FM itself would crack it
for you if you paid them and could show ownership, so I think your
statement is a little optimistic. I do believe however that starting
with v7 they went from a reversable algorhythm to one that is actually
scrambled so that even they cannot break it without brute force.

Good to know.

That said, to my knowledge FM databases are not encrypted in any
sense. So if you have physical access to the file the only real
obstacle to your data is an undocumented proprietary file format.
Anyone with patience and a hex editor could probably pull most of the
data out without much trouble.




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  #15  
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d-42
 
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Default Re: Password ransom - 05-17-2007 , 01:45 AM



On May 16, 1:05 pm, "Guy" <sai... (AT) guym (DOT) com> wrote:
Quote:
Unless exporting is locked out, the data is easy... it's all the other stuff
that takes time... layouts, entry screens, relationships, formulae, etc.
The point is filemaker's password protection is a very poor strategy
for securing 'important data'.

It may well be reasonably adequate for protecting the 'database
system' itself in terms of layouts, relationships, scripts, etc... but
it really doesn't buy you much real security for the data itself.



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  #16  
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Paul Bruneau
 
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Default Re: Password ransom - 05-17-2007 , 07:04 AM



On May 16, 2:19 pm, d-42 <db.pors... (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:
That said, to my knowledge FM databases are not encrypted in any
sense. So if you have physical access to the file the only real
obstacle to your data is an undocumented proprietary file format.
Anyone with patience and a hex editor could probably pull most of the
data out without much trouble.
You are right. For that reason, good FM security requires keeping the
file/server secure physically.




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  #17  
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Colin Croft
 
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Default Re: Password ransom - 05-18-2007 , 05:22 AM



IMHO it's a bit stupid to password "protect" a database if you're not
going to encrypt it at all! For most people the data is what they'd want
protected.

Guy wrote:
Quote:
Unless exporting is locked out, the data is easy... it's all the other stuff
that takes time... layouts, entry screens, relationships, formulae, etc.


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