"String reference not set to " - Encrytion

[jaimalchohan]

I am at my wits end with Encrytion today, having started off with passwords that apparently do not match to finally closing down onto this issue.

I have a class Function which very simply encrypts a password (no Salt), but when I try to pass a string to the function, i get the error:

"String reference not set to an instance of a String.
Parameter name: s"

If I pass a 'raw' string, ie encrypt("thisword") it works ok, but not if I do encrypt(avariable)

My class is
##################################################
Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic
Imports System.Security.Cryptography
Imports System.Text

Public Class DotShop
Public Function Encrypt(ByVal Password As String) As Byte()
Dim md5Hasher As New MD5CryptoServiceProvider
Dim encrypted As Byte()
Dim encoder As New UTF8Encoding()

encrypted = md5Hasher.ComputeHash(encoder.GetBytes(Password))

Return encrypted
End Function
End Class
##################################################
and the code that calls the calls is

##################################################
Partial Class register

Inherits System.Web.UI.Page

Dim pWord As String

Protected Sub doSomething()
pWord = txtPassword.Text
End Sub

Protected Sub btnFinalSubmit_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
'blah blah set up the db connection etc

cmdInsert.Parameters.Add("@Password", DotShop.Encrypt(pWord))

'blah blah execute it
End Sub
End Class
##################################################

I found that I caanot simply do Encrypt(txtpassword.text) becuase the textbox is actually in a different panel and for some reason I cannot reference it like so becuase the panel is 'hidden' when the FinalSubmit is clicked. This nenver caused an issue in net1.1 btw, must be some new security feature in 2.0. Anyway, thnkas for taking the time.!

[RFH Reseller: Sol]

I think the issue is the hidden panel and the fact that pword is getting it's value from a different sub routine which is not called during the btnSubmitfinal_Click process.

What I would do is store the pword in Viewstate to ensure it is available any time I want.

[Staff: Warren Ashcroft]

I think the issue is the hidden panel and the fact that pword is getting it's value from a different sub routine which is not called during the btnSubmitfinal_Click process.

Yep - your accessing the variable from two different scopes...

[jaimalchohan]

Ok kool, Ill add it to view state, previously I did'nt use pWord, just encrypted txtpassword.text directly, but the hidden panel and password box thing is definalty a new 'feature'.