8    FileMaker Pro Web Publishing Security Guidelines

Note

 SSL protection is only available to users of Custom Web Publishing with FileMaker Pro 

Unlimited, and only through the use of the FileMaker Web Server Connector (FMWSC) and third 

party web server software, such as Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS). For more 

information on enabling SSL with FileMaker Pro Unlimited, see chapter 5,  Using SSL protection 

with Custom Web Publishing. 

Protecting your data in FileMaker Pro

Just as you use different components to protect your computer and network hardware from outside 

attack, FileMaker Pro relies upon a variety of features to provide security for your data when you 

publish it on the Web. FileMaker Pro web publishing security is both flexible and layered:  flexible 

security  means that you can change your access permissions on a user by user or record by record 

basis, if desired.  Layered security  means that different security features provide different areas 

of protection. 

Considerations when designing databases for web publishing

Because security is such an integral part of the design of your databases, you must consider your 

security needs when you are planning your database schema. 

The key to providing the maximum 

amount of security for your database is to begin by designing your database with security in mind. 

Follow these suggestions when you design your databases for web publishing:

1. 

Use dedicated  web only  databases, if possible. Make sure they contain only the layouts, 

scripts, and field definitions that you want to expose to the public.

For example, you may have a system of sales databases with names such as Invoices.fp5, Invoice 

Line Items.fp5, Customers.fp5, and Products.fp5, where Invoices.fp5 is the master file, and the 

other databases are related to it. If you want customers to view their own invoices on the Web, you 

could create a file called Web Invoices.fp5, and use relationships and calculations to Invoices.fp5 

to make a customer's invoices available to them via web publishing. In this example, only the Web 

Invoices.fp5 file is shared to the Web (

File

 menu

 > Sharing,

 with 

Web Companion

 selected). The other 

databases (Invoices.fp5, Invoice Line Items.fp5, Customers.fp5 and Products.fp5) are not shared in 

order to prevent direct access from the Web.