Click here to Skip to main content
15,885,546 members
Articles / Web Development / ASP.NET

The Anatomy of Forms Authentication

Rate me:
Please Sign up or sign in to vote.
4.54/5 (32 votes)
14 Mar 2008CPOL6 min read 84.9K   566   68  
In this article, I will attempt explain in “gory” technical details how Forms Authentication works
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Security.Cryptography;
using System.IO;
namespace GSS.Web.Security
{
    public class FormsAuthentication
    {
        private const int Max_Cookie_Size = 4096;
        private static FormsAuthConfig _config = new FormsAuthConfig();
        /// <summary>
        /// Formats and Encrypts a FormsAuthenticationTicket
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="ticket">The ticket to encrypt</param>
        /// <returns>Hex string representation of the encrypted ticket bytes</returns>
        public static string Encrypt(FormsAuthenticationTicket ticket)
        {
            try
            {
                byte[] createTimeBytes = Utils.DateToByteArray(ticket.IssueDate);
                byte[] expireTimeBytes = Utils.DateToByteArray(ticket.Expires);
                byte[] userBytes = Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(ticket.Username);

                byte[] userDataBytes = Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(ticket.UserData);
                byte[] appPathBytes = Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(ticket.AppPath);
                byte[] randomBytes = Utils.GetRandomBytes(8);
                byte ver = (byte)ticket.Version;
                byte persist = 0;
                if (ticket.IsPersistent)
                    persist = 1;
                byte[] ticketBytes = MakeTicketBlob(randomBytes, ver, userBytes, createTimeBytes, persist, expireTimeBytes, userDataBytes, appPathBytes);
                ticketBytes = SignTicket(ticketBytes);
                ticketBytes = EncryptTicket(ticketBytes);
                String encryptedTicket = Utils.ByteArrayToHexString(ticketBytes);
                return encryptedTicket;
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                LogError(ex.ToString());
                return string.Empty;                
            }
        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Creates a binary blob of the provided byte arrays
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="random">8 byte array of random data</param>
        /// <param name="version">the version of the ticket</param>
        /// <param name="username">byte array containing the unicode formatted username</param>
        /// <param name="issueDate">long byte array containing the FileTime the ticket was issued</param>
        /// <param name="persist">byte representing the boolean value indicating whether or not the ticket should be persisted</param>
        /// <param name="expires">long byte array containing the FileTime at which the ticket will expire</param>
        /// <param name="userdata">byte array containing the unicode formatted user data</param>
        /// <param name="appPath">byte array containing the unicode formatted application path ie. "/appPath"</param>
        /// <returns>a binary blob (byte array) formatted to exactly match ASP.Net FormsAuthenticationTicket binary blob</returns>
        private static byte[] MakeTicketBlob(byte[] random, byte version, byte[] username,
            byte[] issueDate, byte persist, byte[] expires, byte[] userdata, byte[] appPath)
        {
            if (random.Length != 8)
                throw new ArgumentException("random");
            byte[] buffer = null;
            int bufferLength = 7;
            bufferLength += random.Length;
            bufferLength += username.Length;
            bufferLength += issueDate.Length;
            bufferLength += expires.Length;
            if (userdata != null)
                bufferLength += userdata.Length;
            bufferLength += appPath.Length;
            buffer = new byte[bufferLength];
            int pos = 0;
            //int len = 0;
            Buffer.BlockCopy(random, 0, buffer, pos, random.Length);
            pos += random.Length;
            buffer[pos] = version;
            pos++;
            Buffer.BlockCopy(username, 0, buffer, pos, username.Length);
            pos += username.Length;
            buffer[pos] = 0;
            pos++;
            buffer[pos] = 0;
            pos++;
            Buffer.BlockCopy(issueDate, 0, buffer, pos, issueDate.Length);
            pos += issueDate.Length;
            buffer[pos] = persist;
            pos++;
            Buffer.BlockCopy(expires, 0, buffer, pos, expires.Length);
            pos += expires.Length;
            if (userdata != null)
            {
                Buffer.BlockCopy(userdata, 0, buffer, pos, userdata.Length);
                pos += userdata.Length;
            }
            buffer[pos] = 0;
            pos++;
            buffer[pos] = 0;
            pos++;
            Buffer.BlockCopy(appPath, 0, buffer, pos, appPath.Length);
            pos += appPath.Length;
            buffer[pos] = 0;


            return buffer;
        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Create and HMAC signature (hash) of the provide byte array
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="ticketBytes">bytes to sign</param>
        /// <returns>The signature of the "ticketBytes"</returns>
        private static byte[] SignTicket(byte[] ticketBytes)
        {
            byte[] signedTicket = null;
            byte[] signature = _config.ComputeHash(ticketBytes);
            signedTicket = new byte[ticketBytes.Length + signature.Length];
            Buffer.BlockCopy(ticketBytes, 0, signedTicket, 0, ticketBytes.Length);
            Buffer.BlockCopy(signature, 0, signedTicket, ticketBytes.Length, signature.Length);
            return signedTicket;            
        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Encrypts the formatted ticket blob
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="ticketBytes">formatted ticket blob</param>
        /// <returns>Encrypted ticket blob</returns>
        private static byte[] EncryptTicket(byte[] ticketBytes)
        {
            try
            {
                using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
                {
                    ICryptoTransform transform = _config.GetTransform(false);
                    using (CryptoStream cs = new CryptoStream(ms, transform, CryptoStreamMode.Write))
                    {
                        cs.Write(ticketBytes, 0, ticketBytes.Length);
                        cs.FlushFinalBlock();
                        cs.Close();                       
                    }
                    byte[] encryptedBytes = ms.ToArray();
                    ms.Close();
                    return encryptedBytes;
                }
            }
            catch { throw; }

        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Creates a FormsAuthentication ticket from the encrypted Data
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="encryptedTicket">Encrypted ticket string</param>
        /// <returns>FormsAuthentication ticket or "null" if the ticket is 
        /// formatted incorrectly, crypto graphic errors occur, or if the signature is invalid</returns>
        public static FormsAuthenticationTicket Decrypt(string encryptedTicket)
        {
            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(encryptedTicket) || encryptedTicket.Length > Max_Cookie_Size)
                throw new ArgumentException("encryptedTicket");
            try
            {
                FormsAuthenticationTicket ticket = null;

                byte[] decryptedData = DecryptTicket(encryptedTicket);
                if (!IsSignatureVerified(decryptedData))
                    return ticket;
                byte[] ticketBytes = new byte[decryptedData.Length - 20];
                Buffer.BlockCopy(decryptedData, 0, ticketBytes, 0, ticketBytes.Length);
                ticket = ParseTicket(ticketBytes);
                return ticket;
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                LogError(ex.ToString());
                return null;
            }
        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Parses the decrypted ticket blob (byte array) and constructs a FormsAuthenticationTicket
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="ticketBytes">Decrypted ticket blob (byte array)</param>
        /// <returns>FormsAuthencticationTicket or throws and error if the ticket is formatted incorrectly</returns>
        private static FormsAuthenticationTicket ParseTicket(byte[] ticketBytes)
        {
            FormsAuthenticationTicket ticket = null;
            int version;
            int pos = 8;
            int usernameStart = -1;
            int usernameEnd = -1;
            int isPersist = -1;
            int userDataStart = -1;
            int userDataEnd = -1;
            int appPathStart = -1;
            int appPathEnd = -1;
            bool isFirstPass = true;
            byte currentByte;
            byte nextByte;
            byte[] createTimeBytes = new byte[8];
            byte[] expireTimeBytes = new byte[8];
            version = (int)ticketBytes[pos];
            pos++;
            while (pos < ticketBytes.Length)
            {
                currentByte = ticketBytes[pos];
                if (isFirstPass)
                    usernameStart = pos;
                isFirstPass = false;
                pos++;
                nextByte = ticketBytes[pos];
                if (currentByte == 0 && nextByte == 0)
                {
                    usernameEnd = pos - 1;
                    pos++;
                    break;
                }
            }
            pos++;
            for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++)
            {
                createTimeBytes[i] = ticketBytes[pos];
                pos++;
            }
            isPersist = (int)ticketBytes[pos];
            pos++;
            for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++)
            {
                expireTimeBytes[i] = ticketBytes[pos];
                pos++;
            }
            isFirstPass = true;
            while (pos < ticketBytes.Length)
            {
                currentByte = ticketBytes[pos];
                if (isFirstPass && currentByte != 0)
                {
                    userDataStart = pos;
                }
                if (isFirstPass && currentByte == 0)
                {
                    // pos++;
                    break;
                }
                isFirstPass = false;
                pos++;
                nextByte = ticketBytes[pos];
                if (currentByte == 0 && nextByte == 0)
                {
                    userDataEnd = pos - 1;
                    break;
                }
            }
            pos++;
            isFirstPass = true;
            while (pos < ticketBytes.Length)
            {

                currentByte = ticketBytes[pos];
                if (isFirstPass)
                    appPathStart = pos + 1;
                isFirstPass = false;
                pos++;
                nextByte = ticketBytes[pos];
                if (currentByte == 0 && nextByte == 0)
                {
                    appPathEnd = pos - 1;
                    break;
                }
            }

            try
            {

                int byteCount = (usernameEnd - usernameStart + 1);
                byte[] buffer = new byte[byteCount];
                Buffer.BlockCopy(ticketBytes, usernameStart, buffer, 0, byteCount);

                String username = Encoding.Unicode.GetString(buffer);
                String userData = "";
                if (userDataStart != -1)
                {
                    byteCount = userDataEnd - userDataStart + 1;
                    buffer = new byte[byteCount];
                    Buffer.BlockCopy(ticketBytes, userDataStart, buffer, 0, byteCount);
                    userData = Encoding.Unicode.GetString(buffer);
                }

                String appPath = "";
                byteCount = appPathEnd - appPathStart + 1;
                buffer = new byte[byteCount];
                Buffer.BlockCopy(ticketBytes, appPathStart, buffer, 0, byteCount);
                appPath = Encoding.Unicode.GetString(buffer);
                DateTime createTime = Utils.ByteArrayToDate(createTimeBytes);
                DateTime expiration = Utils.ByteArrayToDate(expireTimeBytes);
                bool isPersistent;
                if (isPersist == 1)
                    isPersistent = true;
                else
                    isPersistent = false;
                ticket = new FormsAuthenticationTicket(username, userData, appPath, createTime, expiration, version, isPersistent);

            }
            catch
            {
                throw;
            }
            return ticket;
        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Checks to ensure the Hmac signature is valid
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="decryptedData">Decrypted ticket blob (byte array)</param>
        /// <returns>true is the signature is valid, false if now</returns>
        private static bool IsSignatureVerified(byte[] decryptedData)
        {           
            byte[] signatureBytes = _config.ComputeHash(decryptedData, 0, decryptedData.Length - 20);
            for (int i = 0; i < 20; i++)
            {
                if (signatureBytes[i] != decryptedData[(decryptedData.Length - 20) + i])
                    return false;
            }
            return true;            
        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Decryptes the encrypted ticket
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="encryptedTicket">Encrypted Ticket</param>
        /// <returns>binary blob (byte array, or throws an execption</returns>
        private static byte[] DecryptTicket(string encryptedTicket)
        {
            try
            {
                ICryptoTransform transform = _config.GetTransform(true);
                byte[] encryptedBytes = Utils.HexStringToByteArray(encryptedTicket);
                byte[] decryptedBytes = null;
                using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
                {
                    using (CryptoStream cs = new CryptoStream(ms, transform, CryptoStreamMode.Write))
                    {
                        cs.Write(encryptedBytes, 0, encryptedBytes.Length);
                        cs.FlushFinalBlock();
                        cs.Close();
                        decryptedBytes = ms.ToArray();
                        ms.Close();
                    }
                }
                return decryptedBytes;
            }
            catch
            {
                throw;
            }
        }
        private static void LogError(string error)
        {
            string logPath = string.Empty;
            if (_config == null || string.IsNullOrEmpty(_config.LogPath))
                logPath = "FormsAuth.log";
            else
                logPath = _config.LogPath;
            try
            {
                using (StreamWriter sw = new StreamWriter(logPath, true))
                {
                    sw.Write(DateTime.Now.ToString());
                    sw.WriteLine(":");
                    sw.WriteLine(error);
                    sw.WriteLine();
                    sw.Close();
                }
            }
            catch { }

        }
    }
    
}

By viewing downloads associated with this article you agree to the Terms of Service and the article's licence.

If a file you wish to view isn't highlighted, and is a text file (not binary), please let us know and we'll add colourisation support for it.

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


Written By
United States United States
This member has not yet provided a Biography. Assume it's interesting and varied, and probably something to do with programming.

Comments and Discussions