RE: Firebird DB - What Does Anyone Know?

    OH Boy, been a long time since I looked at Firebird, so this may well be dated. Yes it is open source, not exactly sql compliant, and very poorly protected. A table is a file & the data therein is flat ASCII so very easy to read. Great for small projects with a limited number of users and that is not web attached.  

Dick Goulet
Senior Oracle DBA/NA Team Lead
PAREXEL International  

From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org
[mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org] On Behalf Of Scott Canaan Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 11:41 AM To: oracle-l_at_freelists.org
Subject: Firebird DB - What Does Anyone Know?

   One of our departments is looking at a product that uses a Firebird database. I've done some online research and found out that it is an open source database. I've brought this up with the vendor, stating that since its open source it's easy for hackers to get a copy to play with. Their response was to challenge me to break into their system and database, which I thought was an interesting response. It was the only technical question thrown at them that they got visibly angry about.

   My question is: Is anyone familiar with this database and how secure it is? If so, does it support any kind of encryption? I've not been able to find anything about encryption, either the data itself or network, on this product.

   In the end, if the department purchases this package, we won't be supporting the database, but I'm trying to do my due diligence in advising them of any issues, particularly security issues, that I can find.  

Thank you,  

Scott Canaan '88 (Scott.Canaan_at_rit.edu)

(585) 475-7886

"Life is like a sewer, what you get out of it depends on what you put into it." - Tom Lehrer.  

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