Just because the connection string is clear-type, does not mean that that is how it is sent by the SQL client library to the server. In fact, the connection string is never sent to the server at all. It is intepreted, and then, using an API, the connection is made to the server. The username and password may or may not be passed as plain text, depending on the specific API. In the case the SQL Client libraries, I very much doubt it is sent unencrypted. my blog

Google on "Mediator pattern" and "MVC" (or "Model-View-Controller"). If you learn how to use these patterns, you'll never get stuck like this again; your code won't need tricks like passing a form to another form. I recommend "Design Patterns" by the Gang of Four. I'm not saying maysam's advice is bad, but as you construct more and more complicated GUIs, you'll find that it's harder and harder to deal with the complexity you create by hard-wiring things together. Design patterns are over-applied and otherwise screwed up by morons who haven't taken the time to really learn how to use them, which has given them a bad rap. In my experience, though, Mediator and MVC are the most important things to know when programming client-side rich GUI applications. Everything else is a little bit of learning involving threads that's easy to accomplish, and rote memorization of properties of controls and the like.

Here it is - Some background info for you that was given to me in the C# area [Google on "Mediator pattern" and "MVC" (or "Model-View-Controller"). If you learn how to use these patterns, you'll never get stuck like this again; your code won't need tricks like passing a form to another form. I recommend "Design Patterns" by the Gang of Four.] I just went to Microsoft ans sought out "Model-View-Controller" As for the code. A no brainer once you do it, Key words "once you do it" Once you have placed this very generic code in the forms and "Shared" class, go to project properties and set the startup object to "Global" - this is you shared class, you can use this class or whatgever class you use for application prep, tracings and logs. Option Strict On Option Explicit On Public Class Form1 Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form #Region " Windows Form Designer generated code " Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click Global.postF2() End Sub End Class Option Strict On Option Explicit On Public Class Form2 Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form #Region " Windows Form Designer generated code " Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click Me.Hide() Global.postF1(TextBox1.Text) End Sub End Class Option Strict On Option Explicit On Public Class Global Public Shared f1 As Form1 Public Shared f2 As Form2 Public Shared Sub main() f1 = New Form1 Application.Run(f1) End Sub Public Shared Function postF2() As String f2 = New Form2 f2.Show() End Function Public Shared Function postF1(ByVal post As String) As String f1.Label1.Text = post End Function