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4Matrix 4Matrix Support Knowledgebase 4Matrix Desktop: Installation and Technical Guidance
Can I use multiple databases?
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Security Update – PHP Vulnerability

We are aware of the recent critical PHP security vulnerabilities highlighted by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on 21st October 2026.

We would like to reassure customers that our main platforms, 4Matrix Cloud and 4Matrix Fusion, do not use PHP and are therefore not directly affected by these vulnerabilities.

PHP is used within some of our supporting systems, including our customer support ticketing and billing systems. Our desktop application also communicates with our sales system for licence verification. These systems do not store customers' payment details or sensitive information as part of the licence verification process.

We have been in contact with our hosting provider, Krystal, who has confirmed that the necessary security fixes have been applied to address the reported vulnerabilities.

No action is required from our customers in relation to this advisory.

We take the security of our systems and customer information seriously and will continue to monitor security developments and work with our hosting provider to maintain appropriate protections.

Can I use multiple databases?

The 4Matrix ‘Database Switcher’ no longer exists as a separate application.

Instead, we have now programmed Launcher.exe (when launched), to prompt which database you wish to use, should it detect more than 1 on your system.

4Matrix uses the Settings file in the 4Matrix folder, e.g. C:\Program Files\4Matrix\Settings to connect to a database. To connect to other databases you need a copy of the Settings file for each database. They will be identified using a ‘#’. These are generated by the Network Manager tool on your server. 

  • In order to set this up, start by opening the 4Matrix client folder on the server where the Network Manager is installed i.e. D:\4Matrix\Client Files
  • Duplicate and rename the Settings file to Settings#SchoolDataA
  • Now open the Network Manager tool and run the wizard. Choose to create a new database at the relevant stage (such as SchoolDataB). Complete the rest of the wizard as normal
  • Once back in the main Network Manager application, click the button that says ‘re-copy files’
  • Go to D:\4Matrix\Client Files and you should now see two settings files, the one you renamed (Settings#SchoolA) and a new Settings (which actually refers to your new SchoolDataB database)
  • Rename the new Settings file to Settings#SchoolDataB
  • Copy both of these Settings files to the client(s) which require access to more than 1 database (directory example: C:\Program Files\4Matrix). Note that you must keep the original Settings file for this process to work. In this example, Settings#SchoolDataA is a duplicate of the original Settings file, allowing using users to select the database assigned to this file as an option.
  • Now open Launcher.exe on the client (also in C:\Program Files\4Matrix) and it should ask you which database you want to connect to
  • When using a second or consecutive database for the first time, 4Matrix will prompt for a licence key - use your School ID to licence your new database(s)

 

Notes:

Clients that should be restricted to using 1 database can still use a Settings File called 'Settings' - the name doesn't matter, provided the information in the Settings file itself is correct and the client is pointing to the correct database.

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Article Details

Article ID:
26
Category:
4Matrix Desktop: Installation and Technical Guidance
Date added:
02/12/2016 16:37:52
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1,566
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