Planning security for a file
A new FileMaker Pro file is initially unprotected. Whenever the file opens, it automatically logs in the user with the Admin account, which is assigned the Full Access privilege set. This permits accessing and changing everything in the file.
You can use accounts and privilege sets to secure the database file. How you secure a file depends largely on whether you share the file with others or not:
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You can additionally protect a file by requiring authorization of any file that attempts to access its tables, layouts, value lists, and scripts. See Authorizing access to files.
To plan the security for a shared file:
1.
Make a list of the areas of the file that you want to protect, such as particular tables, fields, records, layouts, value lists, and scripts. Plan the number of privilege sets you need to enforce the varying levels of file access that you require.
Note  Each database file contains three predefined privilege sets, which may meet some or all of your needs. See Using the predefined privilege sets.
2.
3.
See About the Admin and Guest accounts.
4.
See Creating and managing privilege sets.
5.
If you want certain privilege sets to be able to open a shared file over a network as a client, access the file from a web browser via FileMaker WebDirect, or access a file as an ODBC or JDBC data source, you need to enable extended privileges for certain privilege sets. Don’t enable extended privileges unless they’re needed.
6.
If you’re using the Guest account, assign a privilege set to it as well. Otherwise, disable the Guest account. See Creating and managing accounts.
7.
Open the file using different accounts and test each privilege set that you created. Make sure the restrictions work the way you want, and make any needed corrections to your privilege sets.
8.
See Authorizing access to files.
Additional security tips
Though accounts and privilege sets provide good database protection, they are not a 100% secure solution. You should take other reasonable measures to protect access to your files and information, and not rely solely on FileMaker Pro access privileges. For example:
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Notes
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If you have FileMaker Pro Advanced, you can encrypt database files to protect them while they are being stored on disk. See Encrypting database files (FileMaker Pro Advanced).