Creating Database Scoped Credentials using Variables for Username (Identity) and Password (Secret)

As developers, we often encounter the need to interact with databases in our applications. One common scenario is when we need to create database scoped credentials, which are used to authenticate with a specific database without hardcoding sensitive information like usernames and passwords directly into our code. In this article, we will explore how to use variables to store and pass these credentials securely.

Understanding Database Scoped Credentials

Before diving into the solution, let’s first understand what database scoped credentials are. A database scoped credential is an object that provides a way to manage the credentials used to access a specific database without exposing sensitive information like usernames and passwords in your code.

When you create a database scoped credential, SQL Server stores the credentials securely on the server-side and uses them to authenticate with the specified database when needed.

The Challenge

The question presents an error where the user is trying to use variables to pass credentials to a stored procedure that creates a database scoped credential. However, the stored procedure syntax is incorrect, causing the compiler to throw an error.

After investigating the issue, it becomes clear that the problem lies in how we are constructing the SQL command to create the database scoped credential. We need to ensure that our code follows specific rules for creating these credentials securely.

Solution

To resolve this challenge, let’s examine a solution provided by one of the users on Stack Overflow. The user has suggested using variables to store the username and password separately from the stored procedure.

Here is an example of how we can modify our stored procedure to create database scoped credentials using variables:

CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[sp_someTask1]
(
    @username nvarchar(20),
    @password nvarchar(50)
)
AS
BEGIN

    DECLARE @command varchar(MAX)

    SET @command =     
        'CREATE DATABASE SCOPED CREDENTIAL MyCredential ' +
        'WITH IDENTITY = ''' + @username + ''' ' +
        ',SECRET = ''' + @password + ''''

    EXECUTE (@command);

    PRINT 'Database Scoped Credential Created'

END

In this modified stored procedure, we declare a @command variable and set its value using string concatenation. We then execute the SQL command stored in the @command variable.

Best Practices for Secure Database Credentials

When creating database scoped credentials securely, it’s essential to follow some best practices:

1. Use Variable-Based Credentials: Store your username and password separately from your stored procedure code. This makes it more difficult for an attacker to accidentally reveal sensitive information.
2. Concatenate Strings Carefully: When concatenating strings using variable-based credentials, make sure you are joining the variables with a single quote (’) character, which is the default quoting character in SQL Server.

Verifying Execution

To verify that our stored procedure is working as expected, we can execute it and check the output:

EXECUTE [dbo].[sp_someTask1] 'user','123456789';

SELECT * FROM sys.database_scoped_credentials;

This will create a database scoped credential with the specified username and password.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored how to use variables to store and pass sensitive information like usernames and passwords when creating database scoped credentials. By following best practices for secure variable-based credentials and using string concatenation correctly, we can ensure that our code is more secure and less prone to errors.

By understanding the importance of storing credentials securely and using variables to create them, you can protect your applications from potential security risks and ensure the integrity of your database interactions.

Last modified on 2023-06-16