Re: "Hard-coded" profiles/passwords (was RE: QUSER on ODBC requests )

[Evan Harris <spanner@xxxxxxxxxx>]

John

I have come up against Java programmers and Domino developers wanting
specific profiles which they then store in the properties files. This is
generally when they want to do the equivalent of adopting authority - it
seems they "sign on" or make a connection as someone else.

Unfortunately I am unable to convince them this is good practise, but at
least at the moment I know of no alternative and am forced to take their
word for it.

I am a little less unhappy because I can lock down the properties files,
but this still seems like a kludge to me.

regards
Evan Harris



>Tom
>
>What do you think of Java and Websphere hard coding profile/passwords?   It
>seems to me it's done thru-out this new stuff.
>
>No?
>
>John Carr
>
>
>
>And second, rather than hard-coding, use soft-coding. The application
>itself should never need the actual profile/password. It should only need
>to know where and how to obtain it. Accessing it externally (and securely,
>of course) helps reduce the impact of the situation that started this
>debate -- i.e., even if the QUSER password is changed, big deal; the
>location containing the profile/password should simply be changed as well.
>
>Of course, in that original situation (QUSER being used within an
>application without the knowledge of the tech responsible for QUSER), the
>system is effectively being held hostage by the application(s). If QUSER is
>being used without knowledge, it now becomes difficult to change QUSER
>password. The impact is currently unpredictable; and I'd find that
>unacceptable.
>
>Tom Liotta