Encrypting connectionStrings section - utility for app.config

Question

Is there a utility that will encrypt a named configuration section (or just the connectionStrings section) in an app.config file in a similar manne

Answer 1

PowerShell implementation based on MichelZ's answer:

<#
.SYNOPSIS
Encrypts a section in .NET app configuration file.
#>
function Protect-DotNetConfigSection
{
    [CmdletBinding()]
    param
    (
        # Path to .exe file.
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)]
        [string] $ExePath,
        # List of section names.
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)]
        [string[]] $Sections
    )

    $config = [System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager]::OpenExeConfiguration($ExePath)

    foreach ($section in $Sections)
    {
        $config.GetSection($section).SectionInformation.ProtectSection('DataProtectionConfigurationProvider')
    }

    $config.Save()
}

Protect-DotNetConfigSection 'C:\MyApp\MyApp.exe' 'connectionStrings'
Protect-DotNetConfigSection 'C:\MyApp\MyApp.exe' @('connectionStrings', 'appSettings')