在临时XML配置文件中存储密码的正确方法

Question

I have created a program that launches a separate child process that performs tasks on files. Some of these files are password protected, so in order for the child process to run on these files, it needs their passwords. My plan to accomplish this is to pass an XML config file containing all the file paths and passwords similar to this:

<Files>
    <File>
      <Path>C:\Users\hahaha\hehehe\file2</Path>
      <Password>123456abc</Password>
    </File>
    <File>
      <Path>C:\Users\blablaa\abc\file1</Path>
      <Password>123456abc</Password>
    </File>
</Files>

This information stays on the local machine and is never passed through a network. This XML config file is created within the parent process. The child process takes a string representing the path to this XML config file as an argument. The child process will then parse the XML file and then create a dictionary out of the files and passwords ((key, value) => file path, password). After the process completes the config file can be deleted.

My question is this: What is the best practice and method for storing the passwords in the config file? I assume that encrypting them would be sufficient. Or if there is an entirely different method that is better, what would that look like?

Answer 1

A. Idea is to use Windows Password Manager.

1. Create temporary password for URL "My Super Application" there (if its not created) using CredAPI
2. Encrypt XML parts with it.

B. Idea is to create certificate for application in user personal store using CryptoAPI

1. Create and put temporary certificate with both keys in it in a personal user stire using Crypto API
2. Encrypt XML parts with it.

To gain access to the XML bad guy will need to break into the other user account. If the password will be resetted by admin then all that staff will be lost.

But storing data in a temporary file just to pass it to a child process is a kinda childish thing. Proper way is to use any of this one to accomplish that task

• Net Remoting
• TcpServer - TcpClient and transfer via Network Stream data
• Memory Mapped File
• Pipes