Deploying .Net Core 3.1 MVC App With Individual Accounts throws error - Unable to load DLL 'sni.dll' or one of its dependencies: Access is denied. (0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))

Describe the bug

I recently upgraded my .Net Core 2.1 app to .Net Core 3.1. It works perfectly on local machine. But when deployed on the server it throws below error.

DllNotFoundException: Unable to load DLL 'sni.dll' or one of its dependencies: Access is denied. (0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))

Just to make sure there isn’t anything missing in my app. I generated a new project using the Visual Studio 2019 template for ASP .Net Core Web Application with Individual User Accounts and deployed it. Which is also throwing the error:

Exception message:
Stack trace:

An unhandled exception occurred while processing the request.
DllNotFoundException: Unable to load DLL 'sni.dll' or one of its dependencies: Access is denied. (0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))
Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SNINativeMethodWrapper.UnmanagedIsTokenRestricted(IntPtr token, out bool isRestricted)

DllNotFoundException: Unable to load DLL ‘sni.dll’ or one of its dependencies: Access is denied. (0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))

Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SNINativeMethodWrapper.UnmanagedIsTokenRestricted(IntPtr token, out bool isRestricted)
Microsoft.Data.Win32NativeMethods.IsTokenRestrictedWrapper(IntPtr token)
Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPoolIdentity.GetCurrentNative()
Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPoolIdentity.GetCurrent()
Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPoolGroup.GetConnectionPool(DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory)
Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.GetConnectionPool(DbConnection owningObject, DbConnectionPoolGroup connectionPoolGroup)
Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.TryGetConnection(DbConnection owningConnection, TaskCompletionSource<DbConnectionInternal> retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions, DbConnectionInternal oldConnection, out DbConnectionInternal connection)
Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionInternal.TryOpenConnectionInternal(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory, TaskCompletionSource<DbConnectionInternal> retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions)
Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionClosed.TryOpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory, TaskCompletionSource<DbConnectionInternal> retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions)
Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.TryOpen(TaskCompletionSource<DbConnectionInternal> retry)
Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.Open()
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.RelationalConnection.OpenDbConnection(bool errorsExpected)
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.RelationalConnection.Open(bool errorsExpected)
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.RelationalCommand.ExecuteReader(RelationalCommandParameterObject parameterObject)
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Query.Internal.QueryingEnumerable<T>+Enumerator.InitializeReader(DbContext _, bool result)
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer.Storage.Internal.SqlServerExecutionStrategy.Execute<TState, TResult>(TState state, Func<DbContext, TState, TResult> operation, Func<DbContext, TState, ExecutionResult<TResult>> verifySucceeded)
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Query.Internal.QueryingEnumerable<T>+Enumerator.MoveNext()
System.Linq.Enumerable.SingleOrDefault<TSource>(IEnumerable<TSource> source)
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Query.Internal.QueryCompiler.Execute<TResult>(Expression query)
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Query.Internal.EntityQueryProvider.Execute<TResult>(Expression expression)
System.Linq.Queryable.SingleOrDefault<TSource>(IQueryable<TSource> source)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity.EntityFrameworkCore.UserOnlyStore<TUser, TContext, TKey, TUserClaim, TUserLogin, TUserToken>.FindByEmailAsync(string normalizedEmail, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity.UserManager<TUser>.FindByEmailAsync(string email)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity.UI.V4.Pages.Account.Internal.ForgotPasswordModel<TUser>.OnPostAsync()
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.ExecutorFactory+GenericTaskHandlerMethod.Convert<T>(object taskAsObject)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.ExecutorFactory+GenericTaskHandlerMethod.Execute(object receiver, object[] arguments)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.PageActionInvoker.InvokeHandlerMethodAsync()
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.PageActionInvoker.InvokeNextPageFilterAsync()
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.PageActionInvoker.Rethrow(PageHandlerExecutedContext context)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.PageActionInvoker.Next(ref State next, ref Scope scope, ref object state, ref bool isCompleted)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.PageActionInvoker.InvokeInnerFilterAsync()
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.<InvokeNextResourceFilter>g__Awaited|24_0(ResourceInvoker invoker, Task lastTask, State next, Scope scope, object state, bool isCompleted)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.Rethrow(ResourceExecutedContextSealed context)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.Next(ref State next, ref Scope scope, ref object state, ref bool isCompleted)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.InvokeFilterPipelineAsync()
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.<InvokeAsync>g__Awaited|17_0(ResourceInvoker invoker, Task task, IDisposable scope)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Routing.EndpointMiddleware.<Invoke>g__AwaitRequestTask|6_0(Endpoint endpoint, Task requestTask, ILogger logger)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authorization.AuthorizationMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.AuthenticationMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Diagnostics.DeveloperExceptionPageMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)

Raw exception

System.DllNotFoundException: Unable to load DLL 'sni.dll' or one of its dependencies: Access is denied. (0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SNINativeMethodWrapper.UnmanagedIsTokenRestricted(IntPtr token, Boolean& isRestricted)
   at Microsoft.Data.Win32NativeMethods.IsTokenRestrictedWrapper(IntPtr token)
   at Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPoolIdentity.GetCurrentNative()
   at Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPoolIdentity.GetCurrent()
   at Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPoolGroup.GetConnectionPool(DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory)
   at Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.GetConnectionPool(DbConnection owningObject, DbConnectionPoolGroup connectionPoolGroup)
   at Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.TryGetConnection(DbConnection owningConnection, TaskCompletionSource`1 retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions, DbConnectionInternal oldConnection, DbConnectionInternal& connection)
   at Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionInternal.TryOpenConnectionInternal(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory, TaskCompletionSource`1 retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions)
   at Microsoft.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionClosed.TryOpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory, TaskCompletionSource`1 retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.TryOpen(TaskCompletionSource`1 retry)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.Open()
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.RelationalConnection.OpenDbConnection(Boolean errorsExpected)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.RelationalConnection.Open(Boolean errorsExpected)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Storage.RelationalCommand.ExecuteReader(RelationalCommandParameterObject parameterObject)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Query.Internal.QueryingEnumerable`1.Enumerator.InitializeReader(DbContext _, Boolean result)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer.Storage.Internal.SqlServerExecutionStrategy.Execute[TState,TResult](TState state, Func`3 operation, Func`3 verifySucceeded)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Query.Internal.QueryingEnumerable`1.Enumerator.MoveNext()
   at System.Linq.Enumerable.SingleOrDefault[TSource](IEnumerable`1 source)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Query.Internal.QueryCompiler.Execute[TResult](Expression query)
   at Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Query.Internal.EntityQueryProvider.Execute[TResult](Expression expression)
   at System.Linq.Queryable.SingleOrDefault[TSource](IQueryable`1 source)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity.EntityFrameworkCore.UserOnlyStore`6.FindByEmailAsync(String normalizedEmail, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity.UserManager`1.FindByEmailAsync(String email)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity.UI.V4.Pages.Account.Internal.ForgotPasswordModel`1.OnPostAsync()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.ExecutorFactory.GenericTaskHandlerMethod.Convert[T](Object taskAsObject)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.ExecutorFactory.GenericTaskHandlerMethod.Execute(Object receiver, Object[] arguments)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.PageActionInvoker.InvokeHandlerMethodAsync()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.PageActionInvoker.InvokeNextPageFilterAsync()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.PageActionInvoker.Rethrow(PageHandlerExecutedContext context)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.PageActionInvoker.Next(State& next, Scope& scope, Object& state, Boolean& isCompleted)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.Infrastructure.PageActionInvoker.InvokeInnerFilterAsync()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.<InvokeNextResourceFilter>g__Awaited|24_0(ResourceInvoker invoker, Task lastTask, State next, Scope scope, Object state, Boolean isCompleted)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.Rethrow(ResourceExecutedContextSealed context)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.Next(State& next, Scope& scope, Object& state, Boolean& isCompleted)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.InvokeFilterPipelineAsync()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Infrastructure.ResourceInvoker.<InvokeAsync>g__Awaited|17_0(ResourceInvoker invoker, Task task, IDisposable scope)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Routing.EndpointMiddleware.<Invoke>g__AwaitRequestTask|6_0(Endpoint endpoint, Task requestTask, ILogger logger)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authorization.AuthorizationMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.AuthenticationMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Diagnostics.DeveloperExceptionPageMiddleware.Invoke(HttpContext context)

To reproduce

Generate a new project using Visual Studio 2019 template for ASP .Net Core Web Application with Individual User Accounts and deployed it on server.

Access any page that makes query to database for example on Forgot Password page an random email and submit the form. It should show the above error.

Expected behavior

It should work properly without throwing any error.

[naveedahmed1]

Let me share one more thing. Its strange, if I set permissions of sni.dll to 774 it starts working. Any idea what might be wrong and is this approach secure and recommended to fix the issue?

[cheenamalhotra]

Closing issue as resolved. Side note: Documentation with be updated soon