C# – Forms Authentication across Sub-Domains

asp.netcforms-authentication

Is it possible to authenticate users across sub-domains when the authentication takes place at a sub-domain instead of the parent domain?

For example:

User logs into site1.parent.com, and then we need to send them to reporting.parent.com.

Can I authenticate them to the reporting site even though the log-in occured at a sub-domain?

So far all of the research I have done has users logging into the parent domain first and then each sub-domain has access to the authentication cookie.

Best Answer

When you authenticate the user, set the authentication cookie's domain to the second-level domain, i.e. parent.com. Each sub-domain will receive the parent domain's cookies on request, so authentication over each is possible since you will have a shared authentication cookie to work with.

Authentication code:

System.Web.HttpCookie authcookie = System.Web.Security.FormsAuthentication.GetAuthCookie(UserName, False);
authcookie.Domain = "parent.com";
HttpResponse.AppendCookie(authcookie);
HttpResponse.Redirect(System.Web.Security.FormsAuthentication.GetRedirectUrl(UserName, 
                                                                       False));

Related Solutions

Sharing ASP.NET cookies across sub-domains

set the property of Domain to ".mydomain.com" in each Cookies of two subdomains websites

Response.Cookies["test"].Value = "some value";
Response.Cookies["test"].Domain = ".mysite.com";

UPDATE 1

in Site

HttpCookie hc = new HttpCookie("strName", "value");
hc.Domain = ".mydomain.com"; // must start with "."
hc.Expires = DateTime.Now.AddMonths(3);
HttpContext.Current.Response.Cookies.Add(hc);

In Site B

HttpContext.Current.Request.Cookies["strName"].Value

Try It

Regards

How to set the forms authentication cookie path

I assume you have already solved this issue somehow, but since I stumbled upon this question I thought I should add my few cents.

To solve the issue use different cookie names in web.config. Something like:

<authentication mode="Forms">
  <forms name=".ASPXFORMSAUTH_FOO"
      loginUrl="public/login.aspx" cookieless="UseCookies" slidingExpiration="true"/>
</authentication>

and

<authentication mode="Forms">
  <forms name=".ASPXFORMSAUTH_BAR"
      loginUrl="public/login.aspx" cookieless="UseCookies" slidingExpiration="true"/>
</authentication>

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Sharing ASP.NET cookies across sub-domains

How to set the forms authentication cookie path

Related Topic