Copying file from sharepoint to blob storage in ADF with Service Principal Certificate

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Copying file from sharepoint to blob storage in ADF with Service Principal Certificate

Enock Leclaire ANJIPU MFONCHA 0

Because ACS has been retired, I have to update my pipeline to use certificate-based authorization instead of using secret.

Azure tutorial isn't updated to use certificates. Is there any way to download SharePoint files with certificate-based authorization?

I tried to recreate steps in mentioned Azure tutorial without step about using site: https://\<your-site-url\>/\_layouts/15/appinv.aspx To grant Service Principal permission, because cert based way uses microsoft graph to grant Service Principal access to sharepoint.

In step 3 in Azure tutorial was trying to copy file by HTTP linked service with link

Smaran Thoomu 32,255 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-08T13:51:15.97+00:00

Enock Leclaire ANJIPU MFONCHA Following up to see if the below answer was helpful. If this answers your query, do click Accept Answer and Yes for was this answer helpful. And, if you have any further query do let us know.

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Your answer

Smaran Thoomu 32,255 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-08T13:51:15.97+00:00

Enock Leclaire ANJIPU MFONCHA Following up to see if the below answer was helpful. If this answers your query, do click Accept Answer and Yes for was this answer helpful. And, if you have any further query do let us know.

Answer 1

Nandan Hegde 36,716 MVP Volunteer Moderator

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In the initial web activity, while generating the token, you can use Service principal cert for authentication purpose

Enock Leclaire ANJIPU MFONCHA 0 Reputation points

2025-10-01T17:02:08.5333333+00:00

Thank you @Nandan Hegde for your answer.
My service principal certificate has a password and both are stored in Azure Kay Vault. How could I set the password of service principal certificate from the Web activity Settings page?
Smaran Thoomu 32,255 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-04T04:52:57.47+00:00
Enock Leclaire ANJIPU MFONCHA When you’re using a certificate that has an associated password, both the certificate (PFX) and the password can be stored securely in Azure Key Vault. In your Web activity (or linked service), you would then:

Reference the certificate from Key Vault by its secret name.

Retrieve the password (also stored as a secret in Key Vault) and pass it in the body/headers while generating the OAuth token.

Make sure the ADF Managed Identity (or the Service Principal you’re using for ADF) has get and list permissions on secrets in Key Vault.

Since ADF’s HTTP/Web activity doesn’t have a direct UI field for “certificate password,” you’ll need to handle it through parameters in your pipeline:

Fetch the certificate password via a Key Vault–backed parameter.

Use it as part of the certificate authentication request when generating the token.

This way, the Web activity can authenticate with your service principal certificate securely without hardcoding the password.

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Copying file from sharepoint to blob storage in ADF with Service Principal Certificate

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