Saving Encrypted Data to a Configuration File in C#

[akshaycjoshi]

Ok !

I am reading the book Pro ADO.net.

The author says that the <exename>.confi g files can store the connection string for security purposes.

Later he says that still the connection string is visible to it's better to encrypt it.

He explains that there is a new protectedData section in configuration files specifically for this purpose.

I created a DatabaseExercis e.vshost.exe.co nfig file and added the following code to it

<configuration>
<connectionStrings>
<EncryptedData/>
</connectionStrings>
<protectedData>
<providers>
<add name="MyProvider" 
type="System.Configuration.RsaProtectedConfigurationProvider
keyContainerName="MyKeys" 
useMachineContainer="true" />
</providers>
<protectedDataSections>
<add name="connectionStrings" 
provider="MyProvider" 
inheritedByChildren="false"/>
</protectedDataSections>
</protectedData>
</configuration> 

And then to store the encrypted connection string in the config file the code to be run in c# is

            Configuration config = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
            config.ConnectionStrings.ConnectionStrings.Add(
            new ConnectionStringSettings(
            "MyConnectionString",
            "Provider=SQLNCLI.1;Integrated Security=SSPI;Persist Security Info=False;Initial Catalog=Test;Data Source=(local)")
            );
            config.Save();

The problem is that after running the code above the file DatabaseExercis e.vshost.exe.co nfig
gets deleted !


The above was done in Visual studios.

And when i make a file DatabaseExercis e.exe.config file and run the DatabaseExercis e.exe file(found in debug folder) it throws an exception

'MyKeys' is an unexpected token. Expecting white space. Line 9, position 19. (C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Visual Studio 2005\Projects\DatabaseExercise\DatabaseExercise\bin\Debug\DatabaseExercise.vshost.exe.config line 9)

I am fed up by this.

I had also run aspnet_regiis -pc "MyKeys" exp .

Please help !

[akshaycjoshi]

AFter some formatting the error now is

Unrecognized element 'EncryptedData'. (C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Visual Studio 2005\Projects\DatabaseExercise\DatabaseExercise\bin\Debug\DatabaseExercise.vshost.exe.config line 3)

[akshaycjoshi]

Is this <edited for language> lot of difficult ! ?

[Curtis Rutland]

OK, first of all, you posted your question over the weekend. Traditionally the forum is very slow during the weekend, so give it some time.

Secondly, stop writing everything in bold.

Third, use [code] tags instead of [b] tags when you post code.

Fourth, please watch the language on this forum.

Please read the Posting Guidelines.

MODERATOR

[balabaster]

I don't understand what the problem is, it took me 20 seconds to find a link to this tutorial on Google which will point you in the right direction:

http://www.developer.com/net/vb/article.php/3500906

[akshaycjoshi]

Very sorry if i broke any rules of this forum .

Bala,
I had already seen that link .It solves the same problem but the approach is very different.
I was wondering if I can get the solution of my problem in the code that I had written.
Anyways it was posted on weekend so maybe others can help me.
Still waiting for the solution !

Thanks Bala and insetAlias !