CODEWITHSUNDEEP
asp.net.netsystem.net.mail
ajr
ajr

Reputation: 85

.net smtpclient password secure

If I use System.Net.Mail and use SmtpClient as described by ScottGu in this blog here, will my password be secure when it makes the connection to the smtp server? I know there may be issues with storing it on the server in plain text, but that isn't what I'm asking. When I make the connection to the smtp host, does it send it in plain text?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 262

Answers (1)

Zipper
Zipper

Reputation: 7204

It depends on how the smtp is setup. If it's across a TLS tunnel then it will be encrypted and will have the same basic security that any TLS tunnel on the internet has (i.e. the same as HTTPS). If it's not going across an encrypted channel, then it won't be encrypted, and it will be sent plain text.

So SMTP itself doesn't provide any way to encrypt things (just like HTTP), and relies on the underlying tunnel to be encrypted to protect the data (like HTTPS).

Do note that everything with security has many many trade offs, and I've only described a very simple solution, that doesn't cover the many other factors in dealing with security. So be very careful in assuming that anything you read on the internet regarding security/encryption is correct. It is one the single most difficult areas in all of computer science.

Upvotes: 3

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