Web API HttpClient SSL demo (concept only - using extremely naiive server SSL certificate validation)

webapi_httpclient_ssl_demo.cs

// See:
// http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/csharpgeneral/thread/d80eb3c7-8d1b-4284-a157-ba415cfbcc14 (taicomjp's solution)
// http://blog.aggregatedintelligence.com/2010/06/wcf-ssl-certificates-and-certificate.html
// http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.net.security.remotecertificatevalidationcallback.aspx
// also see http://www.iis.net/learn/manage/configuring-security/how-to-set-up-ssl-on-iis 
// to quickly set up a test certificate on a local website in IIS
// All this does is happily accept any certificate thrown at it, regardless of whether it's got the right
// domain name, etc.

// you'll need to add references/usings for:

//System.Net
//System.Net.Security
//System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates

// This is designed to work from LinqPad, so you'll have to wrap it properly if you want it to 
// work as a console app or something.

void Main()
{

  System.Net.ServicePointManager.ServerCertificateValidationCallback = 
		new System.Net.Security.RemoteCertificateValidationCallback(ValidateServerCertificate); 
// the actual certificate check is left to us.

	var client = SetupNewHttpClient();
	
	HttpResponseMessage response = client.GetAsync("api/values").Result;
	
	response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
	
	var result = response.Content.ReadAsAsync<string[]>().Result;
	
	result.Dump();
	
	
}

// Define other methods and classes here

public static bool ValidateServerCertificate(object sender, 
                                             X509Certificate certificate, 
                                             X509Chain chain, 
                                             SslPolicyErrors sslPolicyErrors)
{
   return true;
   
//   if (sslPolicyErrors == SslPolicyErrors.None) return true;
//
//    Console.WriteLine("Certificate error: {0}", sslPolicyErrors);
//
//    // Do not allow this client to communicate with unauthenticated servers. 
//    return false;
}


private HttpClient SetupNewHttpClient()
{
	//const string baseUrl = "http://localhost:800/";
	const string baseUrl = "https://localhost:4430/";  // set up a new dummy website with a self-signed cert here, note the port.
	
	HttpClient client = new HttpClient();
	client.BaseAddress = new Uri(baseUrl);
	client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Accept.Add(new MediaTypeWithQualityHeaderValue("application/json"));
	return client;
}