Database Security

Posted by Glen on Aug. 25, 2010, 1:24 p.m.

Is a database controlled by .ini files a big risk? With websites of course. I'm just questioning the main advantages of going with mysql. I'm starting to need values saved and retrieved in my current website and I find .ini files easy to work with, but I'm wanting to learn mysql as well. But yea, for things like download counter, rating systems, and log in systems.

I've tried talking to people on website forums, but no one is ever active on those things and to be honest, I find more help from 64d with every problem I have whether it be game design or deciding what to eat. You guys are always a big help to me. I appreciate it. So if anyone can help me out here with a few new systems, let me know. Currently I use .ini files because that's what I was familiar with. I used .ini files in game maker all the time for stuff like this. But now I'm wondering if it's "that bad" of a thing to approach my website needs with the same strategy.

Comments

sirxemic 14 years, 2 months ago

Wouldn't these ini files be visible to the public?

Juju 14 years, 2 months ago

Go for SQL simply because it's faster.

KaBob799 14 years, 2 months ago

MySQL is so much better than .ini files.

Juju 14 years, 2 months ago

Although I do rather like how old-school .ini files are.

Glen 14 years, 2 months ago

What makes the database so much better? Other than password protection.

DesertFox 14 years, 2 months ago

Quote:
I'm just questioning the main advantages of going with mysql

It is fast, efficient, easy to use, easy to maintain, is more secure than an ini file, is built-in to php, dynamically sizeable, is query-able/searchable. etc.

If MYSQL weren't good, you can be certain that people would have come up with and be using a better alternative.

Also, with an ini file, every time you want to grab a single piece of information, you have to read in the entire file.

So yeah. MYSQL is much, much better than an ini file.

Castypher 14 years, 2 months ago

Ini files are used as databases? I guess I learned something new today. Though that sounds completely impractical.

sirxemic 14 years, 2 months ago

I am surprised I didn't say anything like 'ini files!? are you nuts!?'

I must have spaced out or something.

Glen 14 years, 2 months ago

Thanks desert fox

PY 14 years, 2 months ago

ini files are good because they're easily editable by the end user without additional software. Pretty much nothing else. There's no decent reason to use ini files in all but a minority of cases.