How to share the credentials between Webform and Winform?

Question

Hi!

I want to make a login form at the Clickonce deployment webpage, and only allow the authenticated users to download the application. and I want the downloaded application to use the same credentials entered at the webpage, without prompting the users to enter the credentials again.

Details:
I have an application(Windows Client) which needs customized settings for different users. the application is deployed through ClickOnce.

Currently, the users are given the ClickOnce webpage URL, then download the application from there. after download and running the application, the application prompts users with a login form. If their credentials are authenticated, the application loads the customized settings from the server's database according to the credentials given.

The problem is, any unauthenticated users can download the application if they just know the ClickOnce deployement webpage's URL.

Unauthenticated users won't be able to run the application anyways, because the application asks for credentials when started, but I want to prevent the unauthenticated users from downloading the application at all.

The webpage needs to be customized for each users, so the login at the webpage is necessary.

Am I asking the wrong question maybe? English is not my native language so please understand.
Your help is much appreciated!

Answer 1

Just implement security in your windows application. If users cannot use it without authenticating against your web services, then there is no use of them downloading the app. I feel there is no need to authenticate them twice.

Answer 2

This might help you:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/195454/password-protected-net-clickonce-deployment

Answer 3

Hmmmm. Pretty much the same answers you got in the MSDN ClickOnce forum. Windows authentication or nothing. ;-)

Regarding the answer with the link -- I wouldn't use query parameters. Anybody can type in the link to the C/O application and add the query parameters.

Good luck!