How to recover the password?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jarle Aase
  • Start date Start date
J

Jarle Aase

Hi,

I need to recover the password from an access database. The database is just
a frontend application to a MS SQL Server (2000) database.

I've tried several password "recover" programs, but they all claim that
the .mdb file is /not/ password protected. Unfortunately, MS Access (2000)
insists that the database is protected, and prompts for a valid password
every time the file is opened.

The person who knew the password left the company years ago.

Jarle
 
What workgroup file are you using when you open the database? It could very
well be that the file is not secured....then again, it might be. There is a
difference between a password protected database and a database that is
secured with user level security. It may be that the password recovery
program you used only deals with the former vs the latter. If the database
was secured with user level security, do you have the workgroup file? Or do
you have the PIDs/SIDs used to create the original workgroup file?
 
Paul said:
What workgroup file are you using when you open the database? It could
very
well be that the file is not secured....then again, it might be. There is
a difference between a password protected database and a database that is
secured with user level security. It may be that the password recovery
program you used only deals with the former vs the latter. If the
database
was secured with user level security, do you have the workgroup file?
Click to expand...

Is that the .mdw file? If so, I think I have it.
Or do you have the PIDs/SIDs used to create the original workgroup file?
Click to expand...

I really don't know. The guy who created and secured the database left years
ago, and he left no documentation on how the database was configured and
secured.

Jarle
 
3 questions: What is the exact message you are getting when you try to
open the db; which password recovery tool did you try, & exactly what
did it say?

TC
 
TC said:
3 questions: What is the exact message you are getting when you try to
open the db;
Click to expand...

I get a logon-dialog from Access, prompting for name and password.
which password recovery tool did you try,
Click to expand...

Access Password Retrieval Lite, another one with a similar name and a
freeware program, Access PassView.
& exactly what did it say?
Click to expand...

Access PassView says:

Filename: C:\tmp\db.mdb
This file is not password protected

The others claims the same.

I have copied the database to my own disk, and used the Access Workgroup
Administrator to include the related db.mdw file. Before I did this, I got
an error-message from Access (in Norwegian) saying that I do not have
access to "the object". The error-number was 3303.

Jarle
 
Ok. All those things suggest that the database has been protected using
normal Access user-level security. You will need a valid username &
password before you can get back in - unless the previous person made
an error in securing the database. The password cracking program is
probably just looking for a "database password" - an entirely seperate
thing.

Is there no way you can contact the person who created the database?
Are you positive that he did not leave a username & password written
down somewhere?

Do you still have the actual PC on which the database was created?
(with the same version & copy of the operating systwem which was there
originally?)

What version is the database in?

TC
(off for the day)
 
Jarle Aase said:
I get a logon-dialog from Access, prompting for name and password.


Access Password Retrieval Lite, another one with a similar name and a
freeware program, Access PassView.


Access PassView says:

Filename: C:\tmp\db.mdb
This file is not password protected

The others claims the same.
Click to expand...
You are using *database* password recovery utilities, of which there are
many free examples. You need to recover the *user level security*
password(s). I'm not aware of any free downloads that will do this.

Regards,
Keith.
www.keithwilby.com
 
USL being pathetic as it is, there is a free download that cracks MDW files.
Nevertheless, he needs the MDW file...but it isn't clear whether he has it.
 
I think it's sad to describe ULS like that. It is undoubtledly the most
sophisticated security model that has ever been available for any
desktop database product ever created. It is just foolish
implementation errors that make the security so breakable. If you
forgot about backwards compatibility with existing secured databases,
it would not be hard to eliminate every attack except for brute force
search.

TC
 
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