Database ownership
Go Up to About InterBase backup and restore options
Although backing up a database can be performed only by the owner or SYSDBA, any user can restore a database as long as they are not restoring it over an existing database. A database file restored from a logical backup belongs to the user ID of the person who performed the restore. This means that backing up and restoring a database is a mechanism for changing the ownership of a database. It also means that an unauthorized user can steal a database by restoring a backup file to a machine where he knows the SYSDBA password. It is important to ensure that your backup files are secured from unauthorized access.
To restore a database over an existing database, you must be SYSDBA or the owner of the existing database.