Article Tags

Click or tap one of the article tags to filter down to a smaller selection.

Show all content

Videos about "security"

19 videos found.
Oauth External Authentication 07/30/2018 - 7:27am

Using multiple files for developing a robust FileMaker solution can be pretty normal when you plan out the distribution of your data and servers. Some solutions benefit from breaking out part of the solution into one or more separate files.

So, whether taking the load off a given server or simply planning for quicker data access across multiple time zones, one of the bigger problems which pops up with your standard FileMaker accounts is password management. This is where it becomes much easier to use external authentication.

In earlier days, we only had access to Active/Open Directory or system accounts hosted on the same machine as FileMaker server. But, since FileMaker Server 16, we now have the ability to use external authentication through Oauth. This means we can use a third party like Amazon, Google or Microsoft in order to allow users to access solutions and manage their own passwords.

If you're looking for an easier way to manage the users of your solution, then you'll find out how it works and how to make it happen within this video about Oauth External Authentication.

Changing User Privilege Sets 12/06/2017 - 7:11pm

Managing user accounts within FileMaker is pretty easy and straight forward. This, however, is an aspect of access control which only applies to what a user can do within the world of FileMaker's interface.

When it comes to your own solution's user interface, it doesn't exist until you create it. And, of course, FileMaker knows nothing about what you create. It's just a tool. This means it's up to you to add your own security controls.

In order to do this, you need to take advantage of all of FileMaker's security controls. Once you understand how to use these controls, you can create an access system which has various levels of access and allows some users to advance or reduce the access of other users. If you have a database which needs to have managers, employees and various levels of access then you need to watch this video.

FileMaker 16 - Encrypting/Decrypting data 07/11/2017 - 9:00am

FileMaker 16 added a variety of new features designed to support its new ability to interact with web services using JSON. One of those supporting features was the addition of more cryptographic functionality.

Previously, the only native feature available was an MD5 hash. At the time of it being added, it was already out of fashion as a security based feature, but it could be used to compare two things against each other.

By adding new encryption and decryption capabilities, we are now able to encrypt and decrypt data directly within the database itself. This means we can, if desired (and your security policies allow it), store things like credit cards and other sensitive information. While the functions themselves are pretty straight-forward, it’s always nice to know the ins-and-outs of how to implement a feature properly.

Securing Service Credentials 03/17/2016 - 2:27pm

Security credentials, such as critical passwords, API secret keys and other methods of authentication are the gatekeepers to vast troves of data.

These are the pieces of information you want to be most careful with. You don't want to spread them all throughout your FileMaker solution making the "attack surface" an easy steal for anyone.

In this video you'll learn about how the Full Access settings apply to both custom functions and how this relates to scripts which reference those custom functions.

You'll get a quick lesson in how to handle the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) coding method of handling web services calls which need access to critical security credentials. If you're distributing a FileMaker file to any physical device or computer then the lessons in this video are super important!

Protecting FileMaker Files 01/28/2016 - 2:53pm

There's nothing more heart wrenching than when you first realize that something horribly wrong has just happened. It's such a distinct feeling that we all know what I'm talking about.

Just imagine being at the airport and you've got your laptop bag just beside you. After going through security, you feel like you're ready to have a relaxing flight. As you turn to grab your bag, you suddenly realize it's gone! Jumping up, you scan around and see absolutely no evidence of anything having happened. Nothing.

I can't even type those words without having the feeling come over me. The same thing applies to a server administrator when they realize their server has been breached. Yet, it's our job to do our best to learn what we can about protecting our data.

Well, this video has a lot of the critical information you need to know about protecting your FileMaker files. No matter where you are in the learning curve about building a FileMaker system, the information in this video is must know type of knowledge.

Defensive Layout Navigation 12/28/2015 - 5:29pm

If it hasn’t happened to you yet, then it will at some point. Your FileMaker solution will simply grow and grow and you’ll be adding complex layers of security and access as you develop.

As you add that security, your users may report back that they can’t do what they’re supposed to do. Maybe they’re locked out of a given layout with a giant gray screen with the small words of “No Access”.

Ughhh! What does your user do now? Why should you even be dealing with this issue?

What you really need is to make sure and use defensive scripting strategies where it becomes a small annoyance and you’re both notified and able to investigate why the user is reporting this issue.

In this video, you’ll find a wealth of information about navigating to layouts and how to defensively code against landing on that dreaded “No Access” layout.

Learning Privilege Sets 10/22/2015 - 3:50pm

The security of your FileMaker data should always be a top priority. If you don’t know how to implement FileMaker’s Privilege Sets, then you need to learn as quickly as possible.

While the dialogs for security can seem a bit obscure and difficult, it only takes a few trips in and out to get a feel for how you can lock things down.

In this video, I showcase a simple system I created which covers topics such as Granting full access to scripts and why, locking off security related fields, using Global fields and local fields for temporary access escalation and other security related items dealing with privilege sets.

Startup Security 02/18/2015 - 1:52pm

Security is something of increasing concern these days - seriously! It seems as if we can't have a solid week pass by without hearing about some kind of significant breach. While web security has its own issues to think about, you can't just ignore your FileMaker databases.

It may seem all too easy to simply assume that FileMaker is a "low risk target" and just "hope" things are secured. In fact, it turns out that FileMaker's initial server setup is a bit insecure - at least if certain plug-ins are installed to the server without closing the hole which is the FMServer_Sample file.

Knowing the "whole" FileMaker development environment including, client, server, mobile, web and other technologies is something which comes only with time. However, with videos like this one, you can quickly come up to speed with the most critical information about how you can secure your FileMaker solutions.

Is your database running on a shared host? Does that host allow plug-ins? What happens when someone does get a copy of your file? Have you looked into FileMaker's Encryption At Rest feature? Are you doing everything you can to obscure, block and otherwise make it difficult to get into your solution?

If you can't answer all the questions above then watching this video will provide the answers and more!

Multitenancy Security Setup 01/02/2014 - 1:15pm

Crafting a complex security setup within FileMaker can be a bit daunting. Possibly, because of how you interact with and establish security within FileMaker. Despite what may seem obvious, it isn't just about what FileMaker's default security provides, but how you integrate the controls which you have access too. When solution security setup and testing is the after thought, there's a lot of potential for accidental holes in the security model. However, if you take the upfront steps of setting things up from the beginning, the whole problem is a much easier nut to crack.

This video and the companion technique file will walk you through the process of establishing your security model. It offers some useful tips and tricks for working with FileMaker's cumbersome security dialogs and helps you test your security in a much more fluid way.

If you've felt like your solution was lacking in security and you knew there was more to take advantage of, then you'll certainly learn a few more things in this video. If you've never even worried about setting up security on your FileMaker solution then make sure to watch this video!

Pages