Security Exception using MySql and Entity Framework on godaddy

Question

Hello,

we are getting a SecurityException when using Entity framework on godaddy. The entity has been configured against a MySql store. (v. 6.1.2) A bit of wierdness with the exception though... Looking at the exception stack it seems to imply that if we open up a connection to MySql anywhere in the site, then we should get the same exception; however, opening up a MySql connection directly seems to be working in another part of the site...

here's the verification using (MySqlConnection connection = new MySqlConnection(ConnectionString)) { connection.Open(); ... }

Anyone run across a similar issue?

The complete error stack is as follows ~~

[SecurityException: Request for the permission of type 'System.Security.Permissions.SecurityPermission, mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089' failed.] System.Reflection.MethodBase.PerformSecurityCheck(Object obj, RuntimeMethodHandle method, IntPtr parent, UInt32 invocationFlags) +0 System.Reflection.RuntimeConstructorInfo.Invoke(BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture) +470 System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceImpl(BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes) +1051 System.Activator.CreateInstance(Type type, BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes) +111 System.Resources.ResourceManager.CreateResourceSet(Stream store, Assembly assembly) +357 System.Resources.ResourceManager.InternalGetResourceSet(CultureInfo culture, Boolean createIfNotExists, Boolean tryParents) +471 System.Resources.ResourceManager.InternalGetResourceSet(CultureInfo culture, Boolean createIfNotExists, Boolean tryParents) +583 System.Resources.ResourceManager.InternalGetResourceSet(CultureInfo culture, Boolean createIfNotExists, Boolean tryParents) +583 System.Resources.ResourceManager.GetString(String name, CultureInfo culture) +74 MySql.Data.MySqlClient.Resources.get_PerfMonCategoryName() +40 MySql.Data.MySqlClient.PerformanceMonitor..ctor(MySqlConnection connection) +43 MySql.Data.MySqlClient.MySqlConnection.Open() +434 System.Data.EntityClient.EntityConnection.OpenStoreConnectionIf(Boolean openCondition, DbConnection storeConnectionToOpen, DbConnection originalConnection, String exceptionCode, String attemptedOperation, Boolean& closeStoreConnectionOnFailure) +173 System.Data.EntityClient.EntityConnection.Open() +96 System.Data.Objects.ObjectContext.EnsureConnection() +81 System.Data.Objects.ObjectQuery1.GetResults(Nullable1 forMergeOption) +46 System.Data.Objects.ObjectQuery1.System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable<T>.GetEnumerator() +44 jet.Controllers.WorkOrder.WorkOrderView..ctor() +219 jet.Controllers.WorkOrder.WorkOrderView.get_Instance() +29 jet.Controllers.WorkItemController.Index() +11 lambda_method(ExecutionScope , ControllerBase , Object[] ) +39 System.Web.Mvc.ActionMethodDispatcher.Execute(ControllerBase controller, Object[] parameters) +17 System.Web.Mvc.ReflectedActionDescriptor.Execute(ControllerContext controllerContext, IDictionary2 parameters) +178 System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethod(ControllerContext controllerContext, ActionDescriptor actionDescriptor, IDictionary2 parameters) +24 System.Web.Mvc.<>c__DisplayClassa.<InvokeActionMethodWithFilters>b__7() +53 System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethodFilter(IActionFilter filter, ActionExecutingContext preContext, Func1 continuation) +258 System.Web.Mvc.<>c__DisplayClassc.b__9() +20 System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethodWithFilters(ControllerContext controllerContext, IList1 filters, ActionDescriptor actionDescriptor, IDictionary2 parameters) +193 System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeAction(ControllerContext controllerContext, String actionName) +382 System.Web.Mvc.Controller.ExecuteCore() +123 System.Web.Mvc.ControllerBase.Execute(RequestContext requestContext) +23 System.Web.Mvc.ControllerBase.System.Web.Mvc.IController.Execute(RequestContext requestContext) +7 System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.ProcessRequest(HttpContextBase httpContext) +144 System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.ProcessRequest(HttpContext httpContext) +54 System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.System.Web.IHttpHandler.ProcessRequest(HttpContext httpContext) +7 System.Web.CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() +181 System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) +75

Answer 1

Weird one. GoDaddy shared-hosting ASP.NET apps execute under Medium Trust, and perf counter creation probably requires full trust, but perf counter creation is not what's failing here. (and if it failed, it wouldn't propagate out since perf coutner creation exceptions are swallowed by mySQL client code).

Instead, it's failing trying to access a string resource, before perf counter creation. The failure is with this line of code in Resources.Designer.cs of the MySQL client:

return ResourceManager.GetString("PerfMonCategoryName", resourceCulture)

A few things to try, in increasing order of difficulty:

1. ensure you have the MySQL client DLLs in your app's BIN directory and you're not trying to load the client DLL out of GoDaddy's GAC. Never depend on GoDaddy-supplied binaries if you can avoid it!

2. switch to EN-US culture so the client doesn't have to go hunting for another resource DLL, and see if the problem goes away.

3. Build the .NET client from source code, instead of copying DLLs from a binary distribution into your app's BIN directory. This will make problems like this easier to debug since the mySQL code won't be a black box. And, in a pinch, will let you change the problematic resource-fetching calls (or hard-code the locale)! :-)

BTW, in case you're tempted to set "Use Performance Monitor=false" in your connection string to try to evade the problem, don't bother. The problematic code gets executed regardless of that setting:

    public PerformanceMonitor(MySqlConnection connection)
    {
        this.connection = connection;

        //// this line is where it bombs
        string categoryName = Resources.PerfMonCategoryName;

        //// this line is affected by connection string setting
        if (connection.Settings.UsePerformanceMonitor && procedureHardQueries == null)
        {
            try
            {
                procedureHardQueries = new PerformanceCounter(categoryName,
                                                              "HardProcedureQueries", false);
                procedureSoftQueries = new PerformanceCounter(categoryName,
                                                              "SoftProcedureQueries", false);
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                Logger.LogException(ex);
            }
        }
    }

Answer 2

Justin was spot on. Problem was godaddy has an older version of the MySql dll in their gac and the entity framework was picking it up!

Here's the fix. (Apply this to web.config)

<configuration>
  ...
  <runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="MySql.Data" publicKeyToken="c5687fc88969c44d"/>
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="5.0.7.0" newVersion="6.1.2.0"/>
      </dependentAssembly>
    </assemblyBinding>
  </runtime>
  ...
</configuration>

Answer 3

Awesome Aalano, Justine!!!!

This is great! It solved my problem.

-Sudhir

Answer 4

YES...THAT WORKS!

Answer 5

Problem is solved finally! you are great man Justine!