Firebird/Interbase - create new user/view without SYSDBA

Question

I'm developing app that need data from Firebird DB. Guy that create this DB forgot SYSDBA password and I need create new user or just view. Other apps that communicate with DB have also unknown users. But I can connect to the DB server so I see DB file system. I know that MySQL has backdoor, Firebird should has too, right?

Answer 1

Firebird does not have a backdoor as such. But you can move the database to another Firebird install (or use the security2.fdb from another Firebird install) where you do know the password of SYSDBA.

Other options include resetting the password by logging in as a member of the RDB$ADMIN role, but this assumes this was granted earlier by SYSDBA both in the security database and one normal database. Or using trusted authentication as a member of the Windows administrator group. However under Firebird 2.5 this requires that AUTO ADMIN MAPPING is enabled for the security database (which isn't the default).

See SQL user management commands for details.

That said, it is advisable to make a 'normal' user the owner and RDB$ADMIN of the database and use that user for adding or modifying the structure of the database (but in this case that would most likely require the SYSDBA account).