This article describes restricting access to the member's image API endpoint to the user or an authorized administrator. I will assume you have downloaded the ASP.NET Core 6.0 - Users With Comments Project.

I wanted to encourage users to use a profile image. I had already implemented Croppie to crop and resize a file image before it is uploaded and stored as a Data URL. I developed a Profile Image Control which adds options to use a webcam snapshot, or a stock image stored on the server.

The Profile Image Control implements the ProfileImageControler and a partial view. The partial implements the JavaScript that calls the ProfileImageControler. The _ProfileImagePostPartial is displayed on the Manage Account > Picture and the Admin > AppUsers > Edit page.

<partial name="_ProfileImagePostPartial" />

Many API endpoints need restricted access. Some need access by the user and/or an authorized administrator. The UWCP implements Authorization policies. I added MemberProfile and Comments Claims.

The ProfileImageControler's Get method has an appUserId parameter with a default value = 0. If the appUserId is not set, the current user is granted read write access to their picture. The Admin > Edit page sets the appUserId to the edit user's id. The ProfileImageControler injects the AuthorizationService to authorize the MemberProfilesRead and MemberProfilesWrite policies for the admin user.

private readonly IUserService _userService;
private readonly IAuthorizationService _authorizationService;
private readonly IWebHostEnvironment _environment;

public ProfileImageController(
    IUserService userService,
    IAuthorizationService authorizationService,
    IWebHostEnvironment environment)
{
    _userService = userService;
    _environment = environment;
    _authorizationService = authorizationService;
}

[HttpGet]
[Route("Get")]
public async Task<JsonResult> GetAsync(int appUserId = 0)
{
    if (!User.Identity?.IsAuthenticated ?? false) 
        return new JsonResult(new { Status = "Failed", Errors = "Not Authenticated", Id = appUserId });
    var currentAppUserId = int.Parse(User.FindFirstValue(ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier));
    var useStaffStock = User != null && 
        (User.Claims.Any(c => c.Type == AppClaimTypes.Comment && c.Value == AppClaimValues.Write) ||
        User.Claims.Any(c => c.Type == AppClaimTypes.Super));
    var canUpdate = false;
    if (appUserId == 0)
    {
        appUserId = currentAppUserId;
        canUpdate = true;
    }
    else
    {
        if (User == null || !(await _authorizationService.AuthorizeAsync(User, AuthorizationPolicies.MemberProfilesRead)).Succeeded)
            return new JsonResult(new { Status = "Failed", Errors = "Not Authorized", Id = currentAppUserId });
        var userClaims = await _userService.GetAppUserClaimsAsync(appUserId).ConfigureAwait(false);
        useStaffStock = userClaims.Any(c => c.Type == AppClaimTypes.Comment && c.Value == AppClaimValues.Write) ||
            userClaims.Any(c => c.Type == AppClaimTypes.Super);
        canUpdate = User != null && (await _authorizationService.AuthorizeAsync(User, AuthorizationPolicies.MemberProfilesWrite)).Succeeded;
    }

    var currentImageString = await _userService.GetMemberProfileImageStringAsync(appUserId).ConfigureAwait(false);
    if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(currentImageString)) currentImageString = AppSettings.AnonymousImage;
    else if (!currentImageString.StartsWith("data:image/"))
    {
        if (!System.IO.File.Exists(Path.Combine(_environment.WebRootPath, currentImageString[1..])))
            currentImageString = AppSettings.NotFoundImage;
    }
    ProfileImageInputModel profileImageInputModel = new();
    profileImageInputModel.Status = "Success";
    profileImageInputModel.CanUpdate = canUpdate;
    profileImageInputModel.CurrentImageString = currentImageString;
    profileImageInputModel.ImageTagWidth = AppSettings.MemberImageWidth;
    profileImageInputModel.ShowRemove = currentImageString != AppSettings.AnonymousImage;
    profileImageInputModel.StockEnabled = AppSettings.ProfileImageStockEnabled;
    profileImageInputModel.CropEnabled = AppSettings.ProfileImageCropEnabled;
    profileImageInputModel.CaptureEnabled = AppSettings.ProfileImageCaptureEnabled;
    if (AppSettings.ProfileImageStockEnabled)
    {
        var directoryPath = Path.Combine(_environment.WebRootPath, AppSettings.ProfileImageStockFolder[1..]);
        if (useStaffStock) directoryPath = Path.Combine(_environment.WebRootPath, AppSettings.ProfileImageStaffFolder[1..]);
        // Add image file name and relative path to StockImages.
        string[] fileNamePaths = Directory.GetFiles(directoryPath);
        foreach (string fileNamePath in fileNamePaths)
        {
            var fileName = Path.GetFileName(fileNamePath);
            var relativePath = Path.Combine(useStaffStock ? AppSettings.ProfileImageStaffFolder : AppSettings.ProfileImageStockFolder, fileName);
            profileImageInputModel.StockImages.Add(fileName, relativePath);
        }
    }
    return new JsonResult(profileImageInputModel);
}