How Can I Securely Access a Remote UNC File Share Using Credentials in C#?

Securely Accessing Remote UNC File Shares in C# Using Win32 API

Accessing remote UNC file shares across untrusted domains securely requires careful consideration. This article presents a robust method using the Win32 API function WNetUseConnection to connect to and access these shares with credentials, minimizing security risks.

Unlike directly mapping network drives, which can pose security vulnerabilities, WNetUseConnection creates a temporary connection, avoiding the creation of persistent shared resources.

The following C# code demonstrates this approach. It accepts these parameters:

• remoteUNC: The UNC path (e.g., \computername\c$\program files\Folder\file.txt).
• username: The username for authentication.
• password: The password for the specified username.
• promptUser (optional): A boolean indicating whether to prompt the user for credentials (defaults to false).

The code attempts a connection using the supplied credentials. Error handling is included to provide informative messages upon connection failure. A corresponding disconnection function is also provided for cleanup.

This method offers a secure alternative to FTP or SFTP, directly accessing remote files without the security implications of permanently mapped network drives.

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