How To: Build Claims-Aware ASP.NET Application Using Windows Authentication

Article
03/30/2017

Applies To

Microsoft® Windows® Identity Foundation (WIF)
ASP.NET® Web Forms

Summary

This How-To provides detailed step-by-step procedures for creating a simple claims-aware ASP.NET Web Forms application that uses Windows authentication. It also provides instructions for how to test the application to verify that claims are presented when a user signs in using Windows authentication.

Objectives
Overview
Summary of Steps
Step 1 – Create a Simple ASP.NET Web Forms Application
Step 2 – Configure ASP.NET Web Forms Application for Claims Using Windows Authentication
Step 3 – Test Your Solution

Objectives

Configure an ASP.NET Web Forms application for claims using Windows authentication
Test the ASP.NET Web Forms application to see if it is working properly

Overview

In .NET 4.5, WIF and its claims-based authorization have been included as an integral part of the Framework. Previously, if you wanted claims from an ASP.NET user, you were required to install WIF, and then cast interfaces to Principal objects such as Thread.CurrentPrincipal or HttpContext.Current.User. Now, claims are served automatically by these Principal objects.

Windows authentication has benefited from WIF’s inclusion in .NET 4.5 because all users authenticated by Windows credentials automatically have claims associated with them. You can begin using these claims immediately in an ASP.NET application that uses Windows authentication, as this How-To demonstrates.

Summary of Steps

Step 1 – Create a Simple ASP.NET Web Forms Application
Step 2 – Configure ASP.NET Web Forms Application for Claims Using Windows Authentication
Step 3 – Test Your Solution

Step 1 – Create a Simple ASP.NET Web Forms Application

In this step, you will create a new ASP.NET Web Forms application.

To create a simple ASP.NET application

Start Visual Studio, then click File, New, and then Project.
In the New Project window, click ASP.NET Web Forms Application.
In Name, enter TestApp and press OK.
After the TestApp project has been created, click on it in Solution Explorer. The project’s properties will appear in the Properties pane below Solution Explorer. Set the Windows Authentication property to Enabled.

Warning

Windows authentication is disabled by default in new ASP.NET applications, so you must manually enable it.

Step 2 – Configure ASP.NET Web Forms Application for Claims Using Windows Authentication

In this step you will add a configuration entry to the Web.config configuration file and modify the Default.aspx file to display claims information for an account.

To configure ASP.NET application for claims using Windows authentication

In the TestApp project’s Default.aspx file, replace the existing markup with the following:

<%@ Page Title="Home Page" Language="C#" MasterPageFile="~/Site.Master" AutoEventWireup="true"
    CodeBehind="Default.aspx.cs" Inherits="TestApp._Default" %>

<asp:Content runat="server" ID="BodyContent" ContentPlaceHolderID="MainContent">
    <p>
        This page displays the claims associated with a Windows authenticated user.
    </p>
    <h3>Your Claims</h3>
    <p>
        <asp:GridView ID="ClaimsGridView" runat="server" CellPadding="3">
            <AlternatingRowStyle BackColor="White" />
            <HeaderStyle BackColor="#7AC0DA" ForeColor="White" />
        </asp:GridView>
    </p>
</asp:Content>

This step adds a GridView control to your Default.aspx page that will be populated with the claims retrieved from Windows authentication.

Save the Default.aspx file, then open its code-behind file named Default.aspx.cs. Replace the existing code with the following:

using System;
using System.Web.UI;
using System.Security.Claims;

namespace TestApp
{
    public partial class _Default : Page
    {
        protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            ClaimsPrincipal claimsPrincipal = Page.User as ClaimsPrincipal;
            this.ClaimsGridView.DataSource = claimsPrincipal.Claims;
            this.ClaimsGridView.DataBind();
        }
    }
}

The above code will display claims about an authenticated user.

To change the application’s authentication type, modify the <authentication> block in the <system.web> section of the project’s root Web.config file so that it only includes the following configuration entry:
```
<authentication mode="Windows" />
```
Finally, modify the <authorization> block in the <system.web> section of the same Web.config file to force authentication:
```
<authorization>
    <deny users="?" />
</authorization>
```

Step 3 – Test Your Solution

In this step you will test your ASP.NET Web Forms application, and verify that claims are presented when a user signs in with Windows authentication.

To test your ASP.NET Web Forms application for claims using Windows authentication

Press F5 to build and run the application. You should be presented with Default.aspx, and your Windows account name (including domain name) should already appear as the authenticated user in the top right of the page. The page’s content should include a table filled with claims retrieved from your Windows account.

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