Add Windows Credentials using PowerShell & cmdkey

Question

I am trying to use credentials from some UI prompted to add Windows credentials using cmdkey:

$sessionCredential = $host.ui.PromptForCredential("Need credentials", "Please enter your user name and password.", "", "Server Crdentials")
$ps = ConvertFrom-SecureString -SecureString $sessionCredential.password
cmdkey.exe /add:server1 /user:$($sessionCredential.UserName) /pass:$($ps)

The credentials are added correctly, but the password is not.

What can I do?

Answer 1

Apparently, the problem is ConvertFrom-SecureString is returning an encrypted standard string, ConvertFrom-SecureString.

And the option to get plain text is not available on PowerShell 5.1.

I found the correct convert here.

I understand it is not secured. It is used inside secured clients.

See fixed code below:

$sessionCredential = $host.ui.PromptForCredential("Need credentials", "Please enter your user name and password.", "", "Server Crdentials")
$mpass = [System.Net.NetworkCredential]::new("",$sessionCredential.password).Password
cmdkey.exe /add:server1 /user:$($sessionCredential.UserName) /pass:$($mpass)

Answer 2

Use the CredentialManager PowerShell module. It saves the password in the same place as cmdkey, but it can take PSCredential objects directly without needing to convert to text.

Import-Module CredentialManager

# Get the credential from the user with a windows credentials prompt:
$SessionCredential = Get-Credential -Message 'Please enter your server credentials'

# Save the credential object directly without unwrapping it:
New-StoredCredential -Credentials $SessionCredential -Target ServerCredentials -Persist Enterprise `
  -Comment "Server Credentials for $($SessionCredential.UserName)" > $null

# Open the credential later
$SavedCred = Get-StoredCredential -Target ServerCredentials

# Delete if needed
Remove-StoredCredential -Target ServerCredentials

cmdkey /pass:$($ps) is prone to errors due to PowerShell garbling password characters.

Answer 3

Cpt.Whale's answer worked like a charm. The only caveat was the need to copy/distribute the CredentialManager module before using it.