Firebird File and Metadata Security Geoff Worboys Version 0.6, 30 June 2020 Table of Contents 1. Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . This article discusses the security of Firebird database files and in particular access to the metadata stored in those files. It has been written in response to frequent questions on the Firebird lists access to a database file there is no effective way to prevent that user from reading all data (and metadata) within that file.  “Adequate” security is dependent on the level of security required for a

statement. A statement defines what the database management system should do with a particular data or metadata object. More complex statements contain simpler constructs — clauses and options. Clauses A clause (quoted) is different from FullName (unquoted, i.e. regular) which is stored as FULLNAME in the metadata. 2.4. Literals Literals are used to directly represent data. Examples of standard types of literals many languages. UNICODE_FSS is more limited and is used mainly by Firebird internally for storing metadata. Keep in mind that one UTF8 character occupies up to 4 bytes, thus limiting the size of CHAR fields

Language Reference Updates The Data Definition Guide, covering the creation and maintenance of metadata for databases, was “good enough” for several years: the data definition language (DDL) of a DBMS statement. A statement defines what the database management system should do with a particular data or metadata object. More complex statements contain simpler constructs — clauses and options. Clauses A clause (quoted) is different from FullName (unquoted, i.e., regular) which is stored as FULLNAME in the metadata. 2.4. Literals Literals are used to represent data in a direct format. Examples of standard types

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 6.3. Metadata Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -L[IMBO] ignore transactions in limbo -M[ETA_DATA] backup metadata only -MO[DE] "read_only" or "read_write" access -N[O_VALIDITY] -O[NE_AT_A_TIME] restore one table at a time -OL[D_DESCRIPTIONS] save old style metadata descriptions -P[AGE_SIZE] override default page size -PAS[SWORD]

............................................................................... 20 1. Modifying metadata tables yourself ....................................................................... 20 2. Disabling stand for interactive SQL [utility]. You can use it for querying data, getting information about the metadata, creating database objects, running data definition scripts and much more. To get back to the command interactively – although, for your serious database definition work, you should cre- ate and maintain your metadata objects using data definition scripts. There is a complete chapter in the Using Firebird manual

play about with the employee.fdb database. With isql you can query data, get information about the metadata, create database objects, run data definition scripts and much more. To get back to the command interactively – although, for your serious database definition work, you should create and maintain your metadata objects using data definition scripts. Firebird 2.0 and 2.1 Quick Start 24 Starting isql To This query selects all of the rows in the system table RDB$RELATIONS, where Firebird stores the metadata for tables. An “empty” database is not really empty: it contains a number of system tables and other

or EXIT command. Isql can be used interactively to: ◦ Create, update, query, and drop data or metadata. ◦ Input a script file containing a batch of SQL statements in sequence without prompting. ◦ Add Unknown switch: -help usage: isql [options] [] -a(ll) extract metadata incl. legacy non-SQL tables -b(ail) bail on errors (set bail on) -e(cho) echo commands (set echo on) -ex(tract) extract metadata -f(etch_password) fetch password from file -i(nput) input file