Authentication

Authentication

Client site

var credentials = new ClientCredentials()
{
    UserName = "user",
    Password = "password",
    // Token = "..."
};
var client = new Client("127.0.0.1", 82, credentials);

A ClientCredentials object allows passing a basic authentication info, but derived class instance is also supported.

Server site

var server = new Server("127.0.0.1", 82);
server.ClientAuthenticate += (s, e) =>
{
    if (MyValidateMethod(e.Credentials))
    {
        e.Identity = e.Credentials.UserName;
        e.Authenticated = true;
    }
};

bool MyValidateMethod(ClientCredentials credentials) { ... }

To enable authentication, subscribe to ClientAuthenticate event. To authenticate the user, the Authenticated property must be set to true, otherwise ClientAuthenticationException exception will be throw on client’s site.

Identity fallback

If the handler sets Authenticated = true but does not explicitly set Identity, the server falls back to Credentials.UserName. If the client connects without passing a ClientCredentials instance at all, Credentials will be null, and relying on this fallback will throw a NullReferenceException inside the ClientAuthenticate handler. Either always set Identity explicitly, or make sure clients always pass a ClientCredentials object when authentication is enabled.

SSL/TLS

Authentication runs over whatever transport the connection was opened with. To also encrypt the connection itself, create the client with ConnectSslAsync() and the server with a certificate — see Does TagBites.Net support TLS/SSL? in the FAQ.