Posted By:
MattLet me then clarify.
Everything you ever view on the internet is stored in a database somewhere. When you browse to a web site, the text for the pages on the web site are retrieved from the database, and sent to your browser so you can see them. When you check your email, your emails are stored in a database, retrieved by the server and sent to you.
Anyone who has access to those databases has access to the data you send - your CC number, your emails, all that stuff is out there in databases and the people who have access to those databases have access to the data. So, I suppose, technically, Leon, who has the login to our mySQL database has access to the PMs. However, access isn't enough.
In addition to access, you need the ability to get the data you want. In this case, Leon would need software that could query the database, the ability to know how to write a mySQL query, to know which tables and fields store the PMs and then to know how to select which user's PMs he wants to read. I don't think Leon will be insulted when I say that it is FAR more likely that hackers will get into whatever email account you use and read your emails then it is Leon doing all of the above and being able to read your PMs.