How should you handle credential updates for custom MVC widgets that use an external system?

Storing credentials in custom configuration properties and using the Config.Get method to access these properties is a robust and secure approach to handle credential updates for custom MVC widgets that rely on external systems. By exposing the settings this way, developers can ensure that sensitive information is not hard-coded into the widget code, which would pose security risks if the code were to be exposed or shared.

Using configuration properties also enables easy modification of credentials without the need to alter the actual codebase. This approach facilitates more flexibility and maintainability, allowing changes to be made directly within the configuration settings. Additionally, it allows for different sets of credentials to be used in various environments (development, staging, production) without requiring code changes, thus simplifying the deployment process.

Relying on a database for storing credentials, while potentially a viable option, may introduce complexities regarding security and access management, as well as performance implications when accessing these credentials frequently. Hard-coding credentials would compromise security and make it difficult to change them, while updating them manually each month could lead to human error and inconsistencies across deployments.

Overall, using custom configuration properties provides a balance of security, flexibility, and ease of maintenance that is essential for modern application development.