--- title: How to Retrieve Active Directory Information for Authentication in ASP.NET description: How to Retrieve Active Directory Information for Authentication in ASP.NET --- [![e-Zest logo\_An accion lab company\_Colour](https://blog.e-zest.com/hubfs/images/Logos%20with%20Tagline/Corporate/SVG/e-Zest%20logo_An%20accion%20lab%20company_Colour.svg "e-Zest logo_An accion lab company_Colour")](https://www.e-zest.com/) - [WORK](https://www.e-zest.com/our-work) - [SERVICES](https://www.e-zest.com/our-services) - [Product Engineering](https://www.e-zest.com/digital-product-engineering-services) - [Enterprise Data Services](https://www.e-zest.com/enterprise-data-services) - [Digital Commerce](https://www.e-zest.com/digital-commerce-services) - [Digital Operations](https://www.e-zest.com/digital-operations) - [Digital Consulting](https://www.e-zest.com/digital-transformation-consulting-services) - [Digital Experience Design](https://www.e-zest.com/digital-experience-design) - [INSIGHTS](https://blog.e-zest.com/) - [CAREERS](https://www.e-zest.com/careers) - [ENTERPRISE DATA SERVICES](https://www.e-zest.com/enterprise-data-services) - [GENERATIVE AI](https://www.e-zest.com/generative-ai) - [Healthcare](https://healthcare.e-zest.com) - [Contact Us](https://www.e-zest.com/contact-us) - ![Elevating Product Engineering with AI and ML](https://blog.e-zest.com/hubfs/Elevating%20Product%20Engineering%20with%20AI%20and%20ML.jpg) [BLOGS](https://blog.e-zest.com) #### Elevating Product Engineering with AI and ML As technology evolves and customer choices broaden, there is an increasing ... 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So let’s move on to the implementation details. Life has been made easy with the introduction of the `System.DirectoryServices.dll` library in .Net Framework. There's a simple function which I have written that does the Forms/Window authentication to permit users to authenticate against Active Directory using the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). This custom function basically takes a username, and tries to authenticate it on the given LDAP (Active Directory). The code below demonstrates the same. Add the reference to the `System.DirectoryServices.dll`. Then, include the library in your page: `using System.DirectoryServices;` I have created a custom static class for accessing all Active Directory properties ``` public static class ADProperties { public const string ACCOUNTEXPIRES = "accountExpires"; public const string ADMINCOUNT = "adminCount"; public const string BADPASSWORDTIME = "badPasswordTime"; public const string BADPWDCOUNT = "badPwdCount"; public const string CITY = "l"; public const string CODEPAGE = "codePage"; public const string COMPANY = "company"; public const string CONTAINERNAME = "cn"; public const string COUNTRY = "co"; public const string COUNTRYCODE = "countryCode"; public const string COUNTRYNOTATION = "c"; public const string DEPARTMENT = "department"; public const string DIRECTREPORTS = "directReports"; public const string DISPLAYNAME = "displayName"; public const string DISTINGUISHEDNAME = "distinguishedName"; public const string DSCOREPROPAGATIONDATA = "dSCorePropagationData"; public const string EMAILADDRESS = "mail"; public const string EXTENSION = "ipPhone"; public const string FAX = "facsimileTelephoneNumber"; public const string FIRSTNAME = "givenName"; public const string HOMEMDB = "homeMDB"; public const string HOMEMTA = "homeMTA"; public const string HOMEPHONE = "homePhone"; public const string INSTANCETYPE = "instanceType"; public const string LASTLOGOFF = "lastLogoff"; public const string LASTLOGON = "lastLogon"; public const string LASTLOGONTIMESTAMP = "lastLogonTimestamp"; public const string LASTNAME = "sn"; public const string LEGACYEXCHANGEDN = "legacyExchangeDN"; public const string LOGINNAME = "sAMAccountName"; public const string LOGONCOUNT = "logonCount"; public const string MAILNICKNAME = "mailNickname"; public const string MANAGER = "manager"; public const string MDBUSEDEFAULTS = "mDBUseDefaults"; public const string MEMBEROF = "memberOf"; public const string MIDDLENAME = "initials"; public const string MOBILE = "mobile"; public const string MSEXCHHOMESERVERNAME = "msExchHomeServerName"; public const string MSEXCHMAILBOXGUID = "msExchMailboxGuid"; public const string MSEXCHMAILBOXSECURITYDESCRIPTOR = "msExchMailboxSecurityDescriptor"; public const string MSEXCHPOLICIESINCLUDED = "msExchPoliciesIncluded"; public const string MSEXCHRECIPIENTDISPLAYTYPE = "msExchRecipientDisplayType"; public const string MSEXCHRECIPIENTTYPEDETAILS = "msExchRecipientTypeDetails"; public const string MSEXCHUSERACCOUNTCONTROL = "msExchUserAccountControl"; public const string MSEXCHVERSION = "msExchVersion"; public const string NAME = "name"; public const string NTSECURITYDESCRIPTOR = "nTSecurityDescriptor"; public const string OBJECTCATEGORY = "objectCategory"; public const string OBJECTCLASS = "objectClass"; public const string OBJECTGUID = "objectGUID"; public const string OBJECTSID = "objectSid"; public const string PAGER = "pager"; public const string PHYSICALDELIVERYOFFICENAME = "physicalDeliveryOfficeName"; public const string POSTALCODE = "postalCode"; public const string PRIMARYGROUPID = "primaryGroupID"; public const string PROXYADDRESSES = "proxyAddresses"; public const string PWDLASTSET = "pwdLastSet"; public const string SAMACCOUNTTYPE = "sAMAccountType"; public const string SERVICEPRINCIPALNAME = "servicePrincipalName"; public const string SHOWINADDRESSBOOK = "showInAddressBook"; public const string STATE = "st"; public const string STREETADDRESS = "streetAddress"; public const string TITLE = "title"; public const string USERACCOUNTCONTROL = "userAccountControl"; public const string USERPRINCIPALNAME = "userPrincipalName"; public const string USNCHANGED = "uSNChanged"; public const string USNCREATED = "uSNCreated"; public const string WHENCHANGED = "whenChanged"; public const string WHENCREATED = "whenCreated"; } ``` You can use the following function along with forms based authentication or it can used just to check a user's credentials. It takes the following input variables: username: The user's account name. It can be prefixed by the domain; e.g., mydomaintom or just username ex: tom.. ``` public void GetActiveDirectoryDetails(string username) { DirectorySearcherdirectorysearcher = new DirectorySearcher(); var path = directorysearcher.SearchRoot.Path; DirectoryEntry dirEntry = new DirectoryEntry(path); DirectorySearcher dirSearcher = new DirectorySearcher(dirEntry) { Filter = "(" + ADProperties.LOGINNAME + "=" + username+ ")" }; SearchResult result = dirSearcher.FindOne(); if (result != null) { if (result.Properties.Contains(ADProperties.FIRSTNAME)) { firstName = Convert.ToString(result.Properties[ADProperties.FIRSTNAME][0]); } if (result.Properties.Contains(ADProperties.LASTNAME)) { lastName = Convert.ToString(result.Properties[ADProperties.LASTNAME][0]); } if (result.Properties.Contains(ADProperties.EMAILADDRESS)) { emailId = Convert.ToString(result.Properties[ADProperties.EMAILADDRESS][0]); } if (result.Properties.Contains(ADProperties.DEPARTMENT)) { department = Convert.ToString(result.Properties[ADProperties.DEPARTMENT][0]); } } } ``` The below code will help you to fetch the Groups from the Active Directory ``` public string GetGroups(string param) { DirectorySearcher directorysearcher = new DirectorySearcher(); var path = directorysearcher.SearchRoot.Path; DirectoryEntry dirEntry = newDirectoryEntry(path); DirectorySearcher dirSearcher = new DirectorySearcher(dirEntry) { Filter = "(" + ADProperties.LOGINNAME + "=" + param + ")" }; SearchResult result = dirSearcher.FindOne(); StringBuildergroupNames = new StringBuilder(); try { int propertyCount = result.Properties["memberOf"].Count; string dn; int equalsIndex, commaIndex; for (int propertyCounter = 0; propertyCounter < propertyCount; propertyCounter++) { dn = (string)result.Properties["memberOf"][propertyCounter]; equalsIndex = dn.IndexOf("=", 1); commaIndex = dn.IndexOf(",", 1); if (-1 == equalsIndex) { return null; } groupNames.Append(dn.Substring((equalsIndex + 1), (commaIndex - equalsIndex) - 1)); groupNames.Append("|"); } } catch (Exception ex) { throw new Exception("Error obtaining group names. " + ex.Message); } return groupNames.ToString(); } ``` So friends, I hope this will help you to get all Active Directories in a single custom file. - - - ### Similar Blog [![How to read the spreadsheet (\*.xls,\*.xlxs and \*.csv) and import into dataset using DotNet](https://blog.e-zest.com/hubfs/How%20to%20read%20%20the%20spreadsheet%20and%20%20import%20into%20dataset%20%20using%20DotNet%20.jpg) How to read the spreadsheet (\*.xls,\*.xlxs and \*.csv) and import into dataset using DotNet **Introduction** In my previous blog, i shared details on how to generate the spreadsheet dynamically without using Microsoft ... 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