How can I send email leveraging my gmail account without revealing my password?

Question

I want to send myself email of exceptions that are caught in my app when it is "in the wild."

I found a simple way to accomplish the programmatic sending of email using K.R.R.'s answer here, but it requires the adding of credentials like so:

SmtpServer.Port = 587;
SmtpServer.Credentials = new System.Net.NetworkCredential("neversaynunca@gmail.com", "cuddlyPlatypi");

Is there a way I can do this without revealing my password this way (I know that code can be rather easily snooped into to find such)?

I was **really** hoping that your password was `cuddlyPlatypi` :( — DavidG, Oct 07 '14 at 13:35
Seriously though, can't you make your app use your clients email details? — DavidG, Oct 07 '14 at 13:36
I'd rather not; I want the emailing of exception details to be invisible to the user. — B. Clay Shannon-B. Crow Raven, Oct 07 '14 at 14:04
Even if you do get it working, you leave yourself open to thousands of emails coming if something bad happens! — DavidG, Oct 07 '14 at 14:05
On second thought, maybe I'll just have a "Send Error Log" menu item - that's the ticket (no pun intended)! — B. Clay Shannon-B. Crow Raven, Oct 07 '14 at 15:48

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 07 '14 at 13:43

1

It depends upon the level of hacking you are expecting. If you are not delivering source code then the easiest way is to encrypt your account and password using your own encryption algo from your computer, then only decrypt in your app. It is not super safe but the question is do you think that someone will go through the byte code to figure out your app? Example:

SmtpServer.Credentials = new System.Net.NetworkCredential(decrypt("asdf42das24dfsf44sdfa4fg"), decrypt("gjlkdivn3qefdasd48adjvjv4385939"));

answered Oct 07 '14 at 13:43

zam664

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But wouldn't I have to have the decrypt logic in the app, with which an evil genius could suss out the actual pwd (and email address)? – B. Clay Shannon-B. Crow Raven Oct 07 '14 at 15:50
1

Yes. But would that evil genius be interested in your app or trying to break into J P Morgan. – zam664 Oct 08 '14 at 01:31

How can I send email leveraging my gmail account without revealing my password?

1 Answers1