Encrypted Connection String and Security....Quick Question

[Ranginald]

Hi,

Assume I have an asp.net/sql server 2000 web app in a shared hosting
environment. I then encrypt the connection string using
ProtectSection("DataProtectionConfigurationProvider") in the page load
of my default.aspx page.

Am I understanding the following concepts then correctly?

1. I upload the site to the shared hosting server.
2. The first time I run the app eg. www.whatever.com/default.aspx,
the ProtectSection method above is executed.
3. Now the conn string area of my web.config is encrypted, and
asp.net will decrypt as needed.

4. If someone were to hack the server and view the web.config --
whether via getting into the server or via ftp, they would see an
encrypted connection string.


Thanks very much!

 

[Eliyahu Goldin]

Why don't you put the encrypted string straight into the web.config before
uploading?

 

[Ranginald]

Why don't you put the encrypted string straight into the web.config before
uploading?

--
Eliyahu Goldin,
Software Developer & Consultant
Microsoft MVP [ASP.NET]http://msmvps.com/blogs/egoldin

Hi,

Assume I have an asp.net/sql server 2000 web app in a shared hosting
environment. I then encrypt the connection string using
ProtectSection("DataProtectionConfigurationProvider") in the page load
of my default.aspx page.

Am I understanding the following concepts then correctly?

1. I upload the site to the shared hosting server.
2. The first time I run the app eg.www.whatever.com/default.aspx,
the ProtectSection method above is executed.
3. Now the conn string area of my web.config is encrypted, and
asp.net will decrypt as needed.

4. If someone were to hack the server and view the web.config --
whether via getting into the server or via ftp, they would see an
encrypted connection string.

Thanks very much!

I would do that but then I'd have to, as far as I know, encrypt it on
the local machine and then export the key. I have no command prompt
access on the shared hosting server, and from all I've read (msdn.
forums, articles, etc) the above way looks to be the most straight
forward.

Are the steps that I outlined correct, though?

Thanks!