CODEWITHSUNDEEP
silverlightwindows-phone-7httpwebrequestx509certificate
Mark Seemann
Mark Seemann

Reputation: 233150

Is it possible to use client certificates with HTTPS requests from Windows Phone 7?

I need to invoke a REST-based service from Windows Phone 7.

The service only accepts the request if the following conditions are satisfied:

I don't control the service, so I can't change the authentication requirements.

On the full framework, we can do things like this:

HttpWebRequest request = (HttpWebRequest)HttpWebRequest.Create(uri);
request.ClientCertificates.Add(accessCertificate);

However, the ClientCertificates property isn't available in Silverlight 4, and neither do any of the X509 classes from the System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates namespace seem to be available.

Is it really impossible to make Client Certificate-based HTTPS requests from Windows Phone 7?

Upvotes: 3

Views: 2322

Answers (3)

Chris Love
Chris Love

Reputation: 3893

So you can us oAuth for authentication and pass the token in the request header. If you check out acs.codeplex.com you can see how this is done using the Azure ACS system. I realize you may not be using Azure, but the reference app may help. I would also search for oAuth and Windows Phone 7, I have found a few examples that way too.

As far as SSL, you should be able to do that through the browser with out any issue. You can also open any https Url using an HttpWebRequest, etc.

Upvotes: 0

Mick N
Mick N

Reputation: 14882

Client certificates are not supported by the 3rd party WP7 SDK currently.

Confirmation here for your reference.

Problems with client certification authentication on WP7

Whilst it's possible to install certs on the device through email (referenced in an exhcange integration solution), your app won't use them.

Upvotes: 1

Matt Lacey
Matt Lacey

Reputation: 65564

There are only 2 ways to install 3rd party certificates on the device and neither can currently be done through code:

Installing certificates via Windows® Internet Explorer®
A certificate can be posted on a website and made available to users through a device-accessible URL that they can use to download the certificate. When a user accesses the page and taps the certificate, it opens on the device. The user can inspect the certificate, and if they choose to continue the certificate is installed on the device.

Installing certificates via email
The certificate installer on Windows Phone 7 supports .cer, .p7b, and .pfx files. When installing certificates via email, make sure your mail filters do not block .cer files. Certificates that are sent via email appear as message attachments. When a certificate is received, a user can tap to review the contents and then tap to install the certificate. Typically, when an identity certificate is installed the user is prompted for the passphrase that protects it.

You'll have to get the user to perform one of these actions before the app will work with the certificate.

From Windows Phone 7 and Certificates_FINAL_121610.pdf

Upvotes: 1

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