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Encrypting a database password

A project that uses Microsoft SQL Server stores its connection information in a .ztproj project file. You can use integrated Windows authentication or SQL Server authentication.

Since version 5.1.40, moving a project to SQL Server stores the SQL authentication password in reversibly encrypted form. Existing project files are not rewritten automatically. If an older file still contains a plain-text SQL password, you can replace that password manually.

Use the web administration tool

Sign in as a server administrator to your own Zeta Test Management installation and open Encrypt string at /admin/encrypt-string. A project user account does not grant access to server administration.

  1. Enter the database password in String to encrypt.
  2. Select Encrypt string and copy the result from Encrypted string.
  3. Back up the project file. Open it in a text editor and replace only the password with the encrypted value, enclosed in [enc: and :enc]. The tool returns the value without these markers.
  4. Reopen the project and check that it connects to the database.

For example, the password value stored in the project file has this form:

[enc:ENCRYPTED_VALUE:enc]

Use the tool in your own installation, not the public demo, for real database passwords. If you configure a custom PassPhrase, the encrypting installation and the clients reading the project must use the same configuration. Reversible encryption does not replace access controls on project files or the database.

Use the Windows tool

The Windows client also provides the string encryption action in its application options. Generate the encrypted value there and follow steps 3 and 4 above to update the project file.

See further project options for moving and managing projects, and web installation for server setup.