System.Security.Cryptography.UnProtect is not working when the windows user password is changed

Question

System.Security.Cryptography.UnProtect is not working when the windows user password is changed

G R BABU 1

I am using System.Security.Cryptography.Protect and UnProtect methods to encrypt and decrypt the data with DataProtectionScope as CurrentUser. All works fine until the user changes the windows user Password(due to group policy enforced for password change). It stopped working with an error "Key not valid for use in specified state"

here is an example I have used in the code.

encrypted = ProtectedData.Protect(data, null, DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser);

decrypted = ProtectedData.Unprotect(encryptedData, null, DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser);

Appreciate your help Thanks in Advance.

Jack J Jun 25,316 Reputation points

2022-06-06T06:56:28.19+00:00

@G R BABU , Welcome to Microsoft Q&A, based on my test, I did not get any error even if I changed user password. Did you change other settings to cause the exception? Have you considered about using DataProtectionScope.LocalMachine?
G R BABU 1 Reputation point

2022-06-06T07:41:51.653+00:00

Thanks for your reply!!
It is working fine in our lab machines (including the terminal server). One of our customers is facing this issue with his machine (which is a terminal server).
I have checked the FIPS setting in Group policy which is disabled.
I wanted to check if there are any other settings to resolve this issue.
Jack J Jun 25,316 Reputation points

2022-06-16T08:00:17.343+00:00

@G R BABU , sorry for the late response, based on my serach and research, Currently I could not find the reason and the solution for your question. That may be an issue. I recommend that you could sumbit an issue in Github.

Thanks for your understanding.

Your answer

Jack J Jun 25,316 Reputation points

2022-06-06T06:56:28.19+00:00

@G R BABU , Welcome to Microsoft Q&A, based on my test, I did not get any error even if I changed user password. Did you change other settings to cause the exception? Have you considered about using DataProtectionScope.LocalMachine?
G R BABU 1 Reputation point

2022-06-06T07:41:51.653+00:00

Thanks for your reply!!
It is working fine in our lab machines (including the terminal server). One of our customers is facing this issue with his machine (which is a terminal server).
I have checked the FIPS setting in Group policy which is disabled.
I wanted to check if there are any other settings to resolve this issue.
Jack J Jun 25,316 Reputation points

2022-06-16T08:00:17.343+00:00

@G R BABU , sorry for the late response, based on my serach and research, Currently I could not find the reason and the solution for your question. That may be an issue. I recommend that you could sumbit an issue in Github.

Thanks for your understanding.

Share via

System.Security.Cryptography.UnProtect is not working when the windows user password is changed

Your answer