Calling a WCF service with client credentials

Question

Hi,

Is there any way to invoke a service that requires client credentials (and service credentials) from a declarative service using the Send Activity in the current bits ?.  There isn't any property in the Send Activity to set up that kind of security information. I think WF 3.5 supported a way to pass that info using a code activity, however, I am not sure about how that can be done in WF 4.0.

Many of the existing security authentication schemas can be configured directly in the configuration file, that wouldn't be a problem (For instance Mutual X509 certificates). However, usernames and passwords can not be set in the configuration, is there any way to set those credentials in the workflow instance ?


Thanks
Pablo. 

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Pablo Cibraro - http://weblogs.asp.net/cibrax

Answer 1

As you mentioned, we do support client credentials specified in config on your client endpoint.  Unfortunately, we have no way in .NET 4.0 of specifying username/password credentials on a Send activity.  :( 

This feature is on our radar, but just didn't fit into our schedule.  We will do our best to add it to the Send activity in the next release or service pack.  Question: is username/password the only missing scenario here?  Or are there other types of client credentials that you'd like to specify on the Send activity (as opposed to in config)?

-- Dave

Answer 2

Thanks Dave for clarifying this. Username tokens are the only missing scenario I think (Kerberos, Certificates and Issue tokens can all be set through configuration). Some custom client credentials might be missing too, but that's not a common scenario IMHO.

Thanks
Pablo.

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Pablo Cibraro - http://weblogs.asp.net/cibrax

Answer 3

It would be great if these properties could be configured dynamically : for example I want to put a variable in the endpoint property.

Answer 4

We released Workflow Security Pack CTP1 back in June 2010 which enables this and many other security related scenarios.

Also check out following related topics

http://zamd.net/2010/02/23/introducing-workflow-security-pack/

http://zamd.net/2009/12/13/managing-operationcontext-in-wf-4/

http://zamd.net/2010/01/12/principalpermission-authorization-in-wf-4/

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/endpoint/archive/2010/06/30/introducing-the-wf-security-pack-ctp-1-on-wf-codeplex-com.aspx

Hope that helps,

Zulfiqar

Answer 5

Would you please share an example on how to use WFSP in order to set Username and Password for a Basic Authentication on a Send activity?