Working with a SecureString parameter in Active Roles Workflow results in an alphanumeric string that is 136 characters long (4370420)

Working with a SecureString parameter in Active Roles Workflow results in an alphanumeric string that is 136 characters long

Working with a SecureString parameter in an Active Roles Workflow results in an alphanumeric string that is 136 characters long

This is expected functionality.

A SecureString parameter, by design, returns an encrypted text string of a password value. It is necessary to decrypt this value in order to use it.

The Active Roles SDK provides the following sample script which demonstrates one method of how to handle the value passed by a SecureString parameter:

#The following script function is intended to be used by a Script activity included in an automation workflow. This #function starts Windows service "QSVC" on the remote computers specified by workflow parameter #"Computers". To perform this task, the function logs on to each remote computer with the user name and #password specified by the "LogonName" parameter and "Password" parameter, respectively.

#The workflow parameters used by this script must be configured as follows:

#Computers - Multi-valued, String parameter
#LogonName - Single-valued, String parameter
#Password - Single-valued, SecureString parameter
#For instructions on how to create a workflow parameter, see the Active Roles Administrator Guide.

Function StartService()
{

    $computers = $workflow.ParameterEx("Computers")

    $logonName = $workflow.Parameter("LogonName")

    $password = $workflow.Parameter("Password")

    $securePassword = ConvertTo-SecureString $Security.Cryptography.decryptfromstring($password) -asplaintext -force

    $cred = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential ($logonName, $securePassword)

    foreach ($computer in $computers)
    {
        trap {continue}

        $ps = New-PSSession -computername $computer -Credential $cred

        Invoke-Command -session $ps -scriptblock { Start-Service QCSVC }

        Remove-PSSession $ps
    }
}