Re: Oracle8, ODBC and IDENTIFIED EXTERNALLY

It should be possible for the user to connect without having to log into the database if you set the init.ora parameter REMOTE_OS_AUTHENTICATION to true, however there are some things you should be aware of. Setting this parameter means that the Oracle database "trusts" the operating system of the client. If the client is a UNIX or NT workstation then the user must log into the OS before they can gain access to the application and therefore you are protected. But if the OS is Windows3.11 or Win95 then you have a potential security hole. Windows 3.11 does not require a log in at all and Win95's login process can be skipped just by hitting the escape key. Now you have users who can log into the database without a password. I have toyed with the idea of client authentication, but I refuse to sign off on it unless all the clients are running secure operating systems.

Hope this answers your question.

-b

In article <79a2vn$kd5$1_at_goof.de.uu.net>,   "Dieter Leinweber" <dl_at_leineweber.gi.uunet.de> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> i need to access an oracle-database via ODBC (Oracle ODBC-driver). The user
> i want to connect to, is created with the "identified externally" option.
>
> When i'm trying to connect, i always get an error. Is it possible and when,
> how can i connect to such a kind of user via ODBC?
>
> Thanks
>
> Dieter
>
>

-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==---------- http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own Received on Sat Feb 06 1999 - 23:42:34 CST