Validate a username and password against Active Directory?

How can I validate a username and password against Active Directory? I simply want to check if a username and password are correct.

Solution 1:

If you work on .NET 3.5 or newer, you can use the System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement namespace and easily verify your credentials:

// create a "principal context" - e.g. your domain (could be machine, too)
using(PrincipalContext pc = new PrincipalContext(ContextType.Domain, "YOURDOMAIN"))
{
    // validate the credentials
    bool isValid = pc.ValidateCredentials("myuser", "mypassword");
}

It's simple, it's reliable, it's 100% C# managed code on your end - what more can you ask for? :-)

Read all about it here:

• Managing Directory Security Principals in the .NET Framework 3.5
• MSDN docs on System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement

Update:

As outlined in this other SO question (and its answers), there is an issue with this call possibly returning True for old passwords of a user. Just be aware of this behavior and don't be too surprised if this happens :-) (thanks to @MikeGledhill for pointing this out!)

Solution 2:

We do this on our Intranet

You have to use System.DirectoryServices;

Here are the guts of the code

using (DirectoryEntry adsEntry = new DirectoryEntry(path, strAccountId, strPassword))
{
    using (DirectorySearcher adsSearcher = new DirectorySearcher(adsEntry))
    {
        //adsSearcher.Filter = "(&(objectClass=user)(objectCategory=person))";
        adsSearcher.Filter = "(sAMAccountName=" + strAccountId + ")";

        try
        {
            SearchResult adsSearchResult = adsSearcher.FindOne();
            bSucceeded = true;

            strAuthenticatedBy = "Active Directory";
            strError = "User has been authenticated by Active Directory.";
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            // Failed to authenticate. Most likely it is caused by unknown user
            // id or bad strPassword.
            strError = ex.Message;
        }
        finally
        {
            adsEntry.Close();
        }
    }
}