Using ASPNet_Regiis to encrypt custom configuration section - can you do it?

Question

I have a web application with a custom configuration section. That section contains information I'ld like to encrypt (was hoping to use ASPNet_RegIIS rather than do it myself).

Web.Config:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

    <configuration xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/.NetConfiguration/v2.0">
      <configSections>
          <section name="MyCustomSection" 
                   type="MyNamespace.MyCustomSectionHandler, MyAssembly"/>
    </configSections>
<configProtectedData>
    <providers>
      <clear />
      <add name="DataProtectionConfigurationProvider"
           type="System.Configuration.RsaProtectedConfigurationProvider, System.Configuration, Version=2.0.0.0,
                   Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a,
                   processorArchitecture=MSIL"
           keyContainerName="MyKeyContainer"
           useMachineContainer="true" />
    </providers>
  </configProtectedData>
    <MyCustomSection>
       <blah name="blah1">
          <blahChild name="blah1Child1" />
       </blah>
    </MyCustomSection>

The configuration handler works great before trying to encrypt it. When I try to encrypt it with:

aspnet_regiis -pef "MyCustomSection" c:\inetpub\wwwroot\MyWebsite -prov DataProtectionConfigurationProvider

I get an error:

Encrypting configuration section... An error occurred creating the configuration section handler for MyCustomSection: Could not load file or assembly 'MyAssembly' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified. (c:\inetpub\wwwroot\MyWebsite\web.config line 5)

I have tried with/without the provider configured. With/without section groups. With/Without having started the website before hand. I've tried temporarily putting my assembly in the GAC for the registration. I also tried my log4net section just to try something that wasn't mine, with no luck. I've run the command prompt as Administrator. Any ideas? Or can ASPNet_RegIIS just not be used for custom sections?

One final shot after viewing MSDN was changing my handler to inherit from ConfigurationSection rather than implementing IConfigurationSectionHandler since it was technically deprecated in 2.0 (hoping it was something regarding aspnet_regiis version). No luck there either.

Any ideas let me know. Thanks!

Answer 1

aspnet_regiis must be able to bind the assembly. The normal .net binding rules apply.

I get around this by creating directory called aspnet_regiis_bin in the same directory as aspnet_regiis.exe and an aspnet_regiis.exe.config file with aspnet_regiis_bin as a private path like this:

<configuration>
   <runtime>
      <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
         <probing privatePath="aspnet_regiis_bin"/>
      </assemblyBinding>
   </runtime>
</configuration>

I then copy the assemblies that define the custom configuration sections into aspnet_regiis_bin so that aspnet_regiis can find them.

This procedure doesn't require the assemblies to be strong named or in the GAC but does require messing around in the framework directories.

Answer 2

I am using a workaround whereby I temporarly comment out the contents of the configSections element:

<configSection>
    <!--
    <section name="CustomSection" type="" />
    -->
</configSection>

You can then run the encryption using aspnet_regiis -pef as usual. After this has run just uncomment the section and your site is ready to run.

Answer 3

This is a total hack, but I'm not sure that there's another way to do it without strongly naming the assembly that defines your custom section and GACifying it (although you mentioned that didn't work, either, and I'm not sure why it wouldn't). Since aspnet_regiis runs in the < drive >:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\Framework\< version > folder (in WinXP), you can copy the DLL that defines your config section into the relevant Framework\< version > folder, and then it should work.

Answer 4

For the record, I ended up with a little maintenance page to do this for me.

var currentConfig = System.Web.Configuration.WebConfigurationManager.OpenWebConfiguration("~/");
// Unprotect
ConfigurationSection section = currentConfig.GetSection("MyCustomSection");
if (section.SectionInformation.IsProtected)
{
   section.SectionInformation.UnprotectSection();
   currentConfig.Save();
}

// Protect
if (!section.SectionInformation.IsProtected)
{
     section.SectionInformation.ProtectSection("DataProtectionConfigurationProvider");
     currentConfig.Save();
}

Caveats: Your process will need write access to the config files being modified. You'll want some way to authorize who can run this. You'll generally restart the website when you Save.

Answer 5

The answer that is shown as correct is correct. I wanted to add a comment but could not because this is too long of a comment (sample config entries).

The section name should use the full name of the assemblies. A runtime assembly qualification does not work with aspnet_regiis.exe.

This WORKS:

<configSections>
  <section name="securityConfiguration" type="Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Security.Configuration.SecuritySettings, Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Security, Version=5.0.414.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=9c844884b2afcb9e" />
</configSections>

But this DOESN'T WORK:

<configSections>
  <section name="securityConfiguration" type="Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Security.Configuration.SecuritySettings, Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Security" />
</configSections>

<runtime>
  <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
     <qualifyAssembly partialName="Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Security" fullName="Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Security, Version=5.0.414.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=9c844884b2afcb9e" />
    </assemblyBinding>
</runtime>