Signing In Plugin Assembly Matters - Plugin Registration Tool

In the Dynamics 365 and Power Platform ecosystem, the Plugin Registration Tool is a crucial component for developers and administrators. It facilitates the registration of custom plugins, workflows, and other code components in your environment. However, a common pitfall is attempting to register a plugin assembly without signing in, leading to authentication errors.

The Scenario:

Let's explore what happens when you try to register a plugin assembly without signing in. When using the Plugin Registration Tool, it requires users to authenticate with valid credentials to establish a secure connection to the target environment. Without proper authentication, attempting to register a plugin assembly will likely result in an error preventing the operation from proceeding.

The Error :

The error message encountered in such scenarios typically points to a specific issue: "Assemblies containing plugins must be strongly signed. Sign the Assembly using a Key File." This error signifies that the assembly lacks a strong name signature, a necessary security measure for custom code within the Dynamics 365 and Power Platform.

What is a Strong Name?

A strong name consists of the assembly's simple text name, version number, culture information, and a public key and digital signature. It ensures the uniqueness and integrity of the assembly, preventing tampering or unauthorized modifications.

How to Resolve:

To address this issue and proceed with the registration, you must sign the assembly using a key file. This involves generating a key pair (public and private keys) and associating the public key with your assembly. By doing so, you create a strong-named assembly, satisfying the security requirements for plugin registration.

Signing the Assembly in Visual Studio:

Prerequisites: Visual Studio: Ensure you have a compatible version of Visual Studio installed for your project type (.NET Framework, .NET Core, etc.).

Launch Visual Studio and open the project containing your plugin.

Steps:

1. Open Project Properties:

- In Solution Explorer, right-click on your project node and select "Properties."

2. Navigate to Signing Tab:

- In the Project Properties window, locate the "Signing" tab.

3. Enable Signing:

- Check the "Sign the assembly" checkbox.

4. Choose Signing Method:

- You have two options for specifying the strong name key:

- Existing Key File:

- If you have a pre-existing strong name key file, click the "Browse" button and navigate to its location. Select the file and click "Open."

- Create a new key file:

- Choose this option if you don't have an existing key file. Click the "Create" button.

- In the "Create a new strong name key file" dialog, enter a desired name for the key file (e.g., `MyPlugin.snk`).

- Optionally, select the "Protect my key file with a password" checkbox if you want to add an extra layer of security. Enter a strong password and confirm it. Click "OK."

Save Changes:

5. Click "OK" to save the changes to your project properties.

Rebuild Your Project:

6. Rebuild your project to apply the changes. This ensures that your assembly is signed with the specified key.

7. You can now register the plugin assembly in Plugin Registration Tool and it should not show any error message. It should show successful message as below-

Conclusion:

Understanding the nuances of authentication and strong-naming assemblies is vital when working with the Plugin Registration Tool in Dynamics 365 and Power Platform. Always ensure that you sign in with valid credentials to establish a secure connection, and if you encounter the mentioned error, take the necessary steps to sign your assembly using a key file.

By addressing these authentication and strong-naming requirements, you can seamlessly register your plugin assemblies and ensure a secure and reliable deployment within the Dynamics 365 and Power Platform environments.