I have a question about the security issue involving the wwforum.mdb database. is this still a potential threat to my forum? i read somewhere on the net that hackers use this file to get people's passwords. i opened it in microsoft access and it looks like the passwords are encrypted. are they encrypted and how? should i still move this file or change the name? i'm the administrator and i can't even read my member's passwords. how could a hacker figure it out? it doesn't look like much of a threat to me, but i could be wrong.

passwords are encrypted yes, however you should still move and rename the database.  detailed instructions on how to do this are included in the documentation

It is still best to move the forum and place it in a private folder if possible. All the passwords are encrypted, however, if the hacker gets hold of the ASP files and the database he will have a better chance of hacking your forum.

Another factor is that if your database can be downloaded it invites people to do so and may use up your bandwidth if you have a large database.

There are a few other reasons well, but considering how easy it is to move or rename the database, I think the above reasons make it worth it!

Read the following page on how to move the database:-

http://www.webwiz.net/web_wiz_forums/docs_access_move_db.asp - http://www.webwiz.net/web_wiz_forums/docs_access_move_db.asp

Yes this is a serious threat, and it is a very good idea to rename and move your database, heres what happened to a site that didn't.
http://www.netherworldusa.com/forum/forum/default.asp - http://www.netherworldusa.com/forum/forum/default.asp
They were hacked immediately because a quick search on google of:
allinurl: wwFoum.mdb
Its the only site that comes up, and I was looking for one to see how easy it is to hack it, to prevent this from happening to my own forum.

i always put my sensitive data in folders outside of my shared area (i.e. not avaliable from the internet) then in your scripts you access the database using a dsn-less connection. That way noone can download your database.

if your on a fronpage web can you move the database to the ../_private folder and have it secure? that folder does require the person to know the frontpage username and password to gain access to files in there.

In theory this should work should it not?

have me q :

database of my friend

i can read passwors  from table ? 

 Edited by forum admin as it contained a sesitive link that could be exploited by a hacker!!!

why ?

If you can see the passwords it is because he/she is using an older version where passwords were not encrypted.

P.s. You can't  be a very good friend if your inviting hackers to hack his forum

i want see password on datatbase that i send before

=PaKapAkASiTE= wrote: have me q : database of my friend i can read passwors  from table ?  http://www.xxxxxx.mdb - http://www.xxxxxx.mdb

Man, with friends like you, he doesn't need enemies.