HTTP 500 Authenticating via HTTP basic auth, using a users file, causing error "Cannot validate argument on parameter 'Value'"

[pcgeek86]

Describe the Bug

I've added HTTP basic authentication to a single route, via a JSON users file.
When I attempt to load the route in my web browser, I get the following error on the Pode server.

Date: 2022-09-07 01:41:23
Level: Error
ThreadId: 1
Server: codespaces-8cac4e
Category: InvalidData: (:) [Invoke-PodeScriptBlock], ParameterBindingValidationException
Message: Cannot validate argument on parameter 'Value'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and then try the command again.
StackTrace: at <ScriptBlock>, /home/codespace/.local/share/powershell/Modules/Pode/2.7.1/Private/Authentication.ps1: line 729
at Invoke-PodeScriptBlock, /home/codespace/.local/share/powershell/Modules/Pode/2.7.1/Public/Utilities.ps1: line 642
at <ScriptBlock>, /home/codespace/.local/share/powershell/Modules/Pode/2.7.1/Private/Authentication.ps1: line 1163
at Invoke-PodeScriptBlock, /home/codespace/.local/share/powershell/Modules/Pode/2.7.1/Public/Utilities.ps1: line 634
at Invoke-PodeMiddleware, /home/codespace/.local/share/powershell/Modules/Pode/2.7.1/Private/Middleware.ps1: line 45
at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 87

Steps To Reproduce

Pode

Start-PodeServer -ScriptBlock {
  Add-PodeEndpoint -Address 0.0.0.0 -Port 8080 -Protocol Http

  New-PodeAuthScheme -Basic | Add-PodeAuthUserFile -Name Login -Sessionless

  Add-PodeRoute -Method Get -Authentication Login -Path /nameform -ScriptBlock {
  Write-PodeHtmlResponse -Value @'
<form action = "/name" method = "post">
  <input id = "username" type = "text" />
  <input id = "password" type = "password" />
  <input type = "submit" value = "Create Name" />
</form>
'@
}
}

users.json

[
  {
    "Username": "trevor",
    "Name": "trevor",
    "Email": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxx",
    "Password": "87428fc522803d31065e7bce3cf03fe475096631e5e07bbd7a0fde60c4cf25c7",
    "Groups": ["Admins"]
  }
]

Expected Behavior

User authentication should work properly.

Platform

• OS: [e.g. iOS, Windows] Windows 11
• Browser: [e.g. Chrome, Safari] Chrome
• Versions:
  • Pode: [e.g. Pode v1.7.3] 2.7.1
  • PowerShell: [e.g. PS6.2.1] 7.2.6

[Badgerati]

Hi @pcgeek86,

I just tried this myself, and it worked as expected 🤔. Does Chrome for you show the credentials pop-up? The line the error is being thrown on suggests there's no password being sent for the basic auth.

(I replaced the password in your example file with UNhY4JhezH9gQYqvDMWrWH9CwlcKiECVqejMrND2VFw=, which is just "example")

[idanmashaal]

@Badgerati I was having the same issue. If your password works, can you share the code you are your passwords?
Would be great to receive an example for both SHA256 and SHA256+HMAC.
Thanks!

[idanmashaal]

@Badgerati I was having the same issue. If your password works, can you share the code you are your passwords? Would be great to receive an example for both SHA256 and SHA256+HMAC. Thanks!

Found the answer here:
#928

I think it would be great to link the documentation with issue928 (answer to how to generate a password). The reason is that if someone is looking at a different hasher, such as an online sha256 hasher, the hashed value is not the same.

[Badgerati]

Documentation updated in #1057. Closing.