password encryption for a backend or service application

[jamescpp]

Hello. I know encryption questions are asked a lot and there's overload when googling for answers.

I have a very small application that will run either as a service or from task scheduler on windows that will connect to an email server over imap and download attachments from any new emails for the account.

Obviously I don't want to store the password in the code. Most of the stuff I have found is assuming there is interaction so you would be verifying a password (which makes sense), rather than needing it as part of a connect string.

Can someone suggest the best way to accomplish securing a password that needs to be used in a connect string, but there is no interaction when the program runs? I'm not a java expert so examples would be appreciated.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[mikrom]

Hello jamescpp,
Of course, storing the password in code would also be stupid, because every time the password changes you would have to recompile your program.
I use to store settings inclusive passwords in properties text files and then load the properties into the program.