Access Share-Level (Database) Password, Owner Information

MS Access® Share-Level (Database) Password can be set to a Database to prevent unauthorized acceess. In English version of Access® this Password can be set selecting the "Tools | Security | Set Database Password..." menu item. This Password is stored in an Access® File encrypted by weak algorithm (XOR). Therefore it can be recovered instantly by AOPR. In Access 2007 the password protection is improved. Database password can be recovered by brute-force or dictionary attack.

Under User-Level Security, users type a Password when they start Microsoft® Access®. Access® then goes out and reads a workgroup information file, where each user is identified by a unique identification code. Within the workgroup information file, users are identified as authorized individual users, and as members of specific groups, by their personal ID and password.

For Access® Databases (*.mdb) with User-Level Security, the program shows the following information:

In most cases, all you need is just the Database password – it is showing at the top of that window (please note that Access® 2.0 supports User-Level Security only, and so the Database Password will be always empty for Access® 2.0 files). You can use the Password shown by AOPR; for Access® 97 files, you're also able to change or delete it (using the appropriate buttons at the bottom), just don't forget to enable "Create backup copy" option.

However, if the database has User-Level Security set and workgroup administration file (system.mda or system.mdw) is not available (if it is there, you can just get all the user names and passwords from it – see next chapter for details), you will also need Database Owner information.

Database Owner is showing only in AOPR Professional. Standard Edition just shows the Database Password:

To gain an Access® to a File if User-Level Security Database is absent, you need to do the following:

•	Run MS Access® (same version your file has been created with, as shown by AOPR).

•	Create a new database (or open any existing not protected one).

•	Go to Accounts setup (usually, it is in Tools \| Security \| User And Group Accounts), Users tab.

•	Create a new user with name displayed by AOPR (without quotes; just type that name in "Name" drop-down combo box, and press the New button). Access® will open a new window with two fields -- Name and "Personal ID". In the second one, type the ID displayed by AOPR and press OK.

•	Close Accounts window with OK and exit from Access®.

•	Run Access® from the command line with the '/user' option, i.e.:

•	You'll be prompted for User Name and password. Type the Name you created and empty Password.

•	Now open your (protected) database, and you should have all necessary permissions (as Database Owner).