Unable to connect to SQL server via PowerShell using secure password - sql

Question

I'm trying to connect to SQL server via PowerShell using the below (I'm new to this). I always get the error "login failed" when I use secure password (from Get-Credential or password stored in file). But if I pass the password as plaintext instead of secure string, it connects successfully. Could any one please suggest a method to pass secure password, ideally stored in an external file.
The code I ran and the error is below:
$cred = Get-Credential
$pwd = $cred.Password
$uid = $cred.UserName
$SQLServer = "."
$SQLDBName = "TestDB"
#Initialize connection string
$connString = "Data Source=$SQLServer;Database=$SQLDBName;User ID=$uid;Password=$pwd"
#Create a SQL connection object
$conn = New-Object System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection $connString
#Attempt to open the connection
$conn.Open()
if($conn.State -eq "Open")
{
# We have a successful connection here
# Notify of successful connection
Write-Host "Test connection successful"
$conn.Close()
}
Exception calling "Open" with "0" argument(s): "Login failed for user 'TestUser'."
At line:18 char:1
+ $conn.Open()
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodInvocationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : SqlException
Further details of error from SQL server:
Login failed for user 'TestUser'. Reason: Password did not match that for the login provided. [CLIENT: <local machine>]

Answer 1

Change this
$pwd = $cred.Password
to this
$pwd = $cred.GetNetworkCredential().Password
However, I would advise against storing a plain text password in memory like this. Your method requires it to--at best--be passed as a parameter in plain text, so you need a better method.
Try using this sqlserver module which supports the -Credential parameter in the Invoke-Sqlcmd function.

Answer 2

I was able to pass secure string as password by adding Integrated Security = True; parameter in connection string.
Thank you.