User Guide

70 Chapter 5: Administering Security
Security and edition differences
If you have the Enterprise Edition of ColdFusion MX, you can configure multiple security
sandboxes. If you have the Standard Edition of ColdFusion MX, you can only configure a single
security sandbox. For more on sandbox security, see “Using sandbox security” on page 70.
ColdFusion MX Administrator password protection
The Administrator installs with secure access enabled. The password that you enter during
installation is saved as the default. You are prompted to enter this password whenever you open
the Administrator.
Password protection for accessing the Administrator helps guard against unauthorized
modifications of ColdFusion MX, and Macromedia highly recommends using passwords. You
can disable or change the Administrator password on the Security > CF Admin Password page.
RDS password protection
If you configured password protection for RDS access when you installed ColdFusion, you are
prompted for the password when you attempt to access ColdFusion MX from Macromedai
Dreamweaver MX or Macromedia HomeSite+.
You can disable or change the RDS password on the Security > RDS Password page.
If you use RDS security, you rely on web server and operating system security settings to set
permissions for ColdFusion application and document directories.
Using sandbox security
Sandbox security (called Resource security in the Standard Edition) uses the location of your
ColdFusion pages to control access to ColdFusion resources. A sandbox is a designated directory
of your site to which you apply security restrictions. Sandbox security lets you specify which tags,
functions, and resources (for example, files, directories, and data sources) can be used by
ColdFusion pages located in and below the designated directory.
Note: Sandbox security is not enabled by default. You must enable it on the Security > Sandbox
Security page before ColdFusion enforces the settings.
Using multiple sandboxes (Enterprise Edition only)
By default, a subdirectory of a sandbox inherits the settings of the directory one level above it.
However, if you define a sandbox for a subdirectory, the subdirectory no longer inherits settings
from the parent, completely overriding the parent directory’s sandbox settings. For example,
consider the following directories:
C:\Inetpub\wwwroot
C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\sales
C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\rnd
C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\rnd\dev
C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\rnd\qa
If you define a sandbox for the wwwroot directory, the settings also apply to the sales, and rnd
directories. If you also define a sandbox for the rnd directory, the rnd sandbox settings also apply
to the dev and qa directories; the wwwroot and sales directories maintain their original settings.