Public Overloads Overrides Function ValidateUser(ByVal username As String, ByVal password As String) As Boolean 
 Dim sql As String = "Select MEMBER_ID From FORUM_MEMBERS WHERE M_NAME=@Username AND M_PASSWORD=@Password" 
 ' Using 
 Dim conn As SqlConnection = New SqlConnection(connStr) 
 Try 
   ' Using 
   Dim cmd As SqlCommand = New SqlCommand(sql, conn) 
   Try 
     Dim paramName As SqlParameter = New SqlParameter 
     paramName.ParameterName = "@Username" 
     paramName.Value = username 
     cmd.Parameters.Add(paramName) 
     Dim paramPwd As SqlParameter = New SqlParameter 
     paramPwd.ParameterName = "@Password" 
     paramPwd.Value = SHA256Hash(password) 
     cmd.Parameters.Add(paramPwd) 
     Try 
       conn.Open 
       Dim reader As SqlDataReader = cmd.ExecuteReader 
       If reader.HasRows Then 
         Return True 
       Else 
         Return False 
       End If 
     Catch 
       Return False 
     End Try 
   Finally 
     CType(cmd, IDisposable).Dispose() 
   End Try 
 Finally 
   CType(conn, IDisposable).Dispose() 
 End Try 
End Function

Public Shared Function SHA256Hash(ByVal Data As String) As String 
 Dim sha As SHA256 = New SHA256Managed 
 Dim hash As Byte() = sha.ComputeHash(Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(Data)) 
 Dim stringBuilder As StringBuilder = New StringBuilder 
 For Each b As Byte In hash 
   stringBuilder.AppendFormat("{0:x2}", b) 
 Next 
 Return stringBuilder.ToString 
End Function

	public static string SHA256Hash(string Data)
	{
        SHA256 sha = new SHA256Managed();
        byte[] hash = sha.ComputeHash( Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(Data) );

        StringBuilder stringBuilder = new StringBuilder();
        foreach( byte b in hash ) 
        {
            stringBuilder.AppendFormat("{0:x2}", b);
        }
        return stringBuilder.ToString();
    }

	public static bool ValidateUser(string username, string password)
	{
        string sql = "Select MEMBER_ID From FORUM_MEMBERS WHERE M_NAME=@Username AND M_PASSWORD=@Password";

        using (SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection(connStr))
        {
            using (SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand(sql, conn))
            {
                SqlParameter paramName = new SqlParameter();
                paramName.ParameterName = "@Username";
                paramName.Value = username;
                cmd.Parameters.Add(paramName);
                SqlParameter paramPwd = new SqlParameter();
                paramPwd.ParameterName = "@Password";
                paramPwd.Value = SHA256Hash(password);
                cmd.Parameters.Add(paramPwd);

                try
                {
                    conn.Open();
                    SqlDataReader reader = cmd.ExecuteReader();
                    if (reader.HasRows)
                    {
                        return true;
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        return false;
                    }
                }
                catch                 {
                    //throw new Exception("Login Error");
                    return false;
                }
            }
        }
	}