How do i reset the passphrase of a Sharepoint secure store service application

Question

We are upgrading from sharepoint 2013 to sharepoint 2016 - using the database attach and upgrade method as per

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/upgrade-and-update/create-the-sharepoint-server-2016-farm-for-a-database-attach-upgrade

In summary, we will need the sharepoint 2013 secure store passphrase, but we dont have this. How can we generate a new passphrase ?

Some more details:

The page above says

"Record the passphrase for the Secure Store service application

The Secure Store service application uses a passphrase to encrypt information. You have to know what this passphrase is so that you can use it in the new environment. Otherwise, you will not have access to the information in the Secure Store.

If you do not know the passphrase, you can refresh the key, and then back up the Secure Store database. For more information, see Work with encryption keys in Configure the Secure Store Service in SharePoint 2013 ."

(We have installed sharepoint 2016 on the new sharepoint 2016 server, and run the products configuration wizard - which prompted for a passphrase. Is this the passphrase for the 2016 secure store or something else ?)

Anyway, I assume that we need to know the passphrase for the Sharepoint 2013 secure store service application - which we dont have - and understand that it cannot be reset.

The page referenced ( https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/administration/configure-the-secure-store-service )

tells you to refresh the key but you seem to need to know the passphrase to do this - which we dont have.

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The page https://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/34314.sharepoint-2013-how-to-reset-passphrase.aspx#:~:text=Open%20SharePoint%20PowerShell%20and%20run,available%20for%20resetting%20a%20passphrase.&text=Confirm%20the%20passphrase%20by%20re,for%20Yes)%20and%20hit%20Enter.%20and%20hit%20Enter.)

mentions some powershell - Set-SPPassPhrase

Does this reset the secure store passphrase ?

Answer 1

Hi @Greg Booth ,

Thanks for your clear description and I have fully understood your requirement. First thing to make sure is that SharePoint doesn't store the passphrase. So in your case, the best solution is to reset the passphrase of a secure store service application.

You can in the PowerShell Set-SPPassPhrase to reset the passphrase to a new value. I read the article SharePoint 2013: How to reset Passphrase you post above, just follow the steps in that article.

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