MySQL Vulnerability: How do I stop hackers?

[La_Parka]

I see alot of notes in MySQL tutorials about keeping database information private, and I understand that, but say some toolish hacker found my MySQL password in an insecure PHP script hypothetically.....could he then hack my entire site, or just the part with MySQL backend?

[frigidman]

Depends on your mysql setup.

The person wouldn't be able to hack phps, or htmls... since all they have is a username/password for a single mysql database.

Now, if you ALLOW remote access to the database with that username/password, then the hacker could effectively destroy all data in that database, or alter it, or change it around, or (god forbid) you had credit card numbers stored in it, do a WHOLE lot worse.

Simple solution for that: Do not allow remote connections to your mysql database. Admin your database strictly with root user through ssh shell.