How to encrypt query strings in asp.net?

Question

How do I encrypt query strings in aspx.net?

P.S. I realize that this does not offer security. I'm just looking to obfuscate a puzzle.

P.P.S Though I marked CKret's answer as the correct one (for the question as worded I believe his is the most correct answer). However, for myself, I'm just going to try ChoasPandion's alternative to encryption. If I needed more security I'd look at CKret's or Ian's.

Why wouldn't encrypting the querystring offer security, assuming that it was done properly? — LukeH
– LukeH, Commented Sep 29, 2009 at 14:26
Luke, I should have instead said, I'm not looking for "security." I just wanted to avoid a lot of people being focused on security. — user179700
– user179700, Commented Sep 29, 2009 at 15:05

ChaosPandion · Accepted Answer · 2009-09-29 14:32:00Z

2

Don't bother encrypting it. Just convert it to a base 64 string.

string encoded = Convert.ToBase64String(Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(myQueryStringValue));

answered Sep 29, 2009 at 14:32

ChaosPandion

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2 Comments

Anderson Imes Over a year ago

Note that this solution doesn't offer security - only obfuscation. (Security by obscurity is not). However, in the OP's case it seems like he's mostly interested in obfuscation, rather than security, so this would probably be a good solution, as long as you UrlEncode to the returned string.

ChaosPandion Over a year ago

That is why I posted this answer. If he really needs security this would be a poor answer.

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 12:01:26Z

1

If you trying to hide your product Id's and things like that, then why not just use Encryption?

I guess what you want to do, is to stop people editing the query string to get different results. The simple way to do this, is to add a Hash of the query string to the query string, and have some base-page functionality check that the hash is correct for the request, identifing tampered query strings.

See Prevent query string manipulation by adding a hash?

edited May 23, 2017 at 12:01

CommunityBot

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answered Sep 29, 2009 at 14:35

Dead account

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1 Comment

Nayef Over a year ago

Hashing is different from encryption.

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