Unable to read the encrypted password.

Question

Unable to read the encrypted password.

SQL_Hunt

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Points: 33518
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March 23, 2015 at 8:31 pm

#295280

Hi
I used the below command to accept password. But unable to print the password entered.
Please help me with the correct format to decrypt the password? I don't want to hard-code the password to my script.
$SQLServiceAGTPassword = read-host "Enter a Password for SQL Agent AC:" -assecurestring | ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force
$BSTR = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::SecureStringToBSTR($SQLServiceAGTPassword)
$RetrievePassword = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::PtrToStringAuto($BSTR)
Write-Host "Password is: " $SQLServiceAGTPassword
Thanks.

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Eirikur Eiriksson SSC Guru Points: 182882 More actions · Answer 1

SQL-DBA-01 (3/23/2015)
Hi
I used the below command to accept password. But unable to print the password entered.
Please help me with the correct format to decrypt the password? I don't want to hard-code the password to my script.
$SQLServiceAGTPassword = read-host "Enter a Password for SQL Agent AC:" -assecurestring | ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force
$BSTR = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::SecureStringToBSTR($SQLServiceAGTPassword)
$RetrievePassword = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::PtrToStringAuto($BSTR)
Write-Host "Password is: " $SQLServiceAGTPassword

Quick thought, don't convert to SecureString twice, using the -asSecureString does that for you.

😎

$InputStr = Read-Host "Enter a Password for SQL Agent AC:" -assecurestring

$PWSTRPTR = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::SecureStringToCoTaskMemUnicode($InputStr)

$PlainTextPW = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::PtrToStringUni($PWSTRPTR)

[System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::ZeroFreeCoTaskMemUnicode($PWSTRPTR)

Write-Host "Password is: " $PlainTextPW

Gary Varga SSC Guru Points: 82166 More actions · Answer 2

Eirikur is correct. The following is your own code adjusted:

$SQLServiceAGTPassword = read-host "Enter a Password for SQL Agent AC:" -assecurestring

$BSTR = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::SecureStringToBSTR($SQLServiceAGTPassword)

$RetrievePassword = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::PtrToStringAuto($BSTR)

Write-Host "Password is: " $SQLServiceAGTPassword

Gaz

-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!

SQL_Hunt SSC-Dedicated Points: 33518 More actions · Answer 3

Thanks Gary and Eri for your help.

The problem now is, if I run the small script, I get the o/p as:

Password is: System.Security.SecureString

Is there anyways, I can ask user to enter the password and it will encrypot it and if I want to read the password (for validation) I shall be able to print it? Any suggestion? Note: I don't want to hard-code the password.

Note: If I run the below script, I can retrieve / see the password but it's hardcoded.

$PlainPassword = "@Hi" | ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force

$BSTR = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::SecureStringToBSTR($PlainPassword)

$PlainPassword = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::PtrToStringAuto($BSTR)

Write-Host "Password is: " $PlainPassword

Thanks.

Gary Varga SSC Guru Points: 82166 More actions · Answer 4

Sorry but I had copied your typo. Try this:

$SQLServiceAGTPassword = read-host "Enter a Password for SQL Agent AC:" -assecurestring

$BSTR = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::SecureStringToBSTR($SQLServiceAGTPassword)

$RetrievePassword = [System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal]::PtrToStringAuto($BSTR)

Write-Host "Password is: " $RetrievePassword

Gaz

-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!

SQL_Hunt SSC-Dedicated Points: 33518 More actions · Answer 5

SQL_Hunt

SSC-Dedicated

Points: 33518

March 24, 2015 at 10:42 am

#1786041

It works. 🙂

Thanks.

Gary Varga SSC Guru Points: 82166 More actions · Answer 6

You are most welcome. 🙂

Gaz

-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!