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Asked: 2009-07-31 07:39:22 +0800 CST

PHP & MySQL on Mac OS X: Access denied for GUI user

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This question was first posted to Stack Overflow, but as it is perhaps just as much a server issue I though it might be just as well to post it here also.

I have just installed and configured Apache, MySQL, PHP and phpMyAdmin on my Macbook in order to have a local development environment. But after I moved one of my projects over to the local server I get a weird MySQL error from one of my calls to mysql_query():

Access denied for user '_securityagent'@'localhost' (using password: NO)

First of all, the query I'm sending to MySQL is all valid, and I've even testet it through phpMyAdmin with perfect result. Secondly, the error message only happens here while I have at least 4 other mysql connections and queries per page. This call to mysql_query() happens at the end of a really long function that handles data for newly created or modified articles. This basically what it does:

  1. Collect all the data from article form (title, content, dates, etc..)
  2. Validate collected data
  3. Connect to database
  4. Dynamically build SQL query based on validated article data
  5. Send query to database before closing the connection

Pretty basic, I know. I did not recognize the username "_securityagent" so after a quick search I came across this from and article at Apple's Developer Connection talking about some random bug:

Mac OS X's security infrastructure gets around this problem by running its GUI code as a special user, "_securityagent".

Then I tried put a var_dump() on all variables used in the mysql_connect() call, and every time it returns the correct values (where username is not "_securityagent" of course). Thus I'm wondering if anyone has any idea why 'securityagent' is trying to connect to my database - and how I can keep this error from occurring when I call mysql_query().

Update: Here is the exact code I'm using to connect to the database. But a little explanation must follow:

  1. The connection error happens at a call to mysql_query() in function X in class_1
  2. class_1 uses class_2 to connect to database
  3. class_2 reads a config file with the database connection variables (host, user, pass, db)
  4. class_2 connect to the database through the following function:

var $SYSTEM_DB_HOST = "";

function connect_db() {

// Reads the config file
include('system_config.php');

if (!($SYSTEM_DB_HOST == "")) {
    mysql_connect($SYSTEM_DB_HOST, $SYSTEM_DB_USER, $SYSTEM_DB_PASS);
    @mysql_select_db($SYSTEM_DB);

    return true;
} else {
    return false;
}
}

mysql php mac-osx apache-2.2

5 Answers

  1. How are you calling mysql_query()? I notice that you don't save the connection handle from the mysql_connect() call. It looks to me like the failing mysql_query() call is not using the connection you're making.

    I recommend that you revise your code to do something like this:

    function connect_db() {
    // Reads the config file
    include('system_config.php');

    if ($SYSTEM_DB_HOST == "") {
        return false;
    }

    $dbhandle = mysql_connect($SYSTEM_DB_HOST, $SYSTEM_DB_USER, $SYSTEM_DB_PASS);
    if ($dbhandle) {
        @mysql_select_db($SYSTEM_DB, $dbhandle);

        return $dbhandle;
    } else {
        return false;
    }
}

// ... invoke like this:
$dbhanle = connect_db();
if (!$dbhandle) {
    // handle failed DB connection
}

// later, whenever you need to run queries:
$result = mysql_query($querysql, $dbhandle);

    This will ensure that the connection you make with mysql_connect is in fact the one that is used for the query. See if that changes anything; even if it doesn't, personally I think it's good practice to explicitly tell MySQL which DB connection you want to use.

    • 1

  2. You should be passing your credentials on mysql_connect.

    • 0

  3. The call to mysql_query() might be picking up the wrong connection, or trying to open a new connection; try saving the connection resource from the mysql_connect() and explicitly pass it to mysql_query(). Better yet, consider updating to a more modern driver, such as mysqli or PDO. As a separate test (and in another script), try issuing a mysql_connect() and mysql_query() with no credentials and see if you get the same error.

    • 0

  4. Have you verified that that user is able to perform queries? If you can log into phpmyadmin as a root user then verify that user _sercurityagent has the rights to perform queries on:

    • localhost
    • ip address of box
    • loopback

    Then make sure that on each of those listed give the user rights to what you think they will need.

    You should then be able to perform a query then.

    • 0

  5. Try something like:

    var $SYSTEM_DB_HOST = "";

function connect_db() {

    // Reads the config file
    include('system_config.php');

    if (!($SYSTEM_DB_HOST == "")) {
        $handle = mysql_connect($SYSTEM_DB_HOST, $SYSTEM_DB_USER, $SYSTEM_DB_PASS);
        @mysql_select_db($SYSTEM_DB,$handle);

        return true;
    } else {
        return false;
    }
}
$handle = connect_db();
mysql_query("QUERY",$handle);
.....
mysql_close($handle);
    • 0