Using configSource with NWebsec

Question

In an attempt to simplify our web.config, I wanted to break out the NWebsec configuration into a separate file using the configSource attribute:

`web.config`

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
  <configSections>
    <sectionGroup name="nwebsec">
      <section name="httpHeaderSecurityModule" type="NWebsec.Modules.Configuration.HttpHeaderSecurityConfigurationSection, NWebsec, Version=4.2.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=3613da5f958908a1" requirePermission="false" />
    </sectionGroup>
  </configSections>
  <nwebsec configSource="App_Config\NWebsec.config" />
  <!--- remainder of file omitted for brevity -->
</configuration>

`App_Config\NWebsec.config`

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<nwebsec>
  <httpHeaderSecurityModule xmlns="http://nwebsec.com/HttpHeaderSecurityModuleConfig.xsd" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
    <redirectValidation enabled="true">
      <!-- omitted for brevity -->
    </redirectValidation>
    <securityHttpHeaders>
      <!-- omitted for brevity -->
    </securityHttpHeaders>
  </httpHeaderSecurityModule>
</nwebsec>

When I make a request to the application I now receive a HTTP 500 error with no other details. There is also nothing related in the Windows Event Viewer.

Is what I'm attempting possible with NWebsec configuration?

How do I get more detail on the error which is occurring and causing the HTTP 500 response?

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 19 '18 at 09:52

I believe this is because the nwebsec element is defined as a sectionGroup:

<sectionGroup name="nwebsec">
  <section name="httpHeaderSecurityModule" type="..." />
</sectionGroup>

The configSource attribute works for the section element only.

Amending the web.config:

<nwebsec>
  <httpHeaderSecurityModule configSource="App_Config\NWebsec.config" />
</nwebsec>

In addition to amending the root element of the referenced file (App_Config\NWebsec.config), enables this to work as desired:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<httpHeaderSecurityModule xmlns="http://nwebsec.com/HttpHeaderSecurityModuleConfig.xsd" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
  <redirectValidation enabled="true">
  ...

Using configSource with NWebsec

`web.config`

`App_Config\NWebsec.config`

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