MongoDB Connection Error – Test Failed: Unable to authenticate using sasl protocol mechanism SCRAM-SHA-1

SSIS PowerPack
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When connecting to MongoDB using ZappySys MongoDB Connector, you may encounter the following error:

Test Failed: Unable to authenticate using the SASL protocol mechanism SCRAM-SHA-1. Command saslStart failed: Received authentication for mechanism SCRAM-SHA-1, which is not enabled.

This error typically indicates a mismatch between the authentication mechanism configured in MongoDB and what the connector is using.

Cause

  • MongoDB server requires SCRAM-SHA-256, but connector defaults to SCRAM-SHA-1.
  • Missing authSource parameter in the connection string.
  • Password not being passed correctly due to SSIS ProtectionLevel settings.
  • Might be using an older version of SSIS PowerPack.

Solution 1 – Specify authSource Parameter (User-Confirmed Fix)

The issue was resolved by adding the following advanced parameter in the connection string:

authSource=admin

This ensures the connector authenticates against the correct database where user credentials are stored.

Specifying MongoDB connection string options
Specifying MongoDB connection string options606×295 9.01 KB

Solution 2 – Ensure Correct Authentication Mechanism

Add the following option to the connector:

authMechanism=SCRAM-SHA-256

Make sure this matches the mechanism configured on your MongoDB server.

Specifying MongoDB connection string options
Specifying MongoDB connection string options616×538 21.8 KB

Solution 3 – Verify Password and Variables

  • Ensure the password field is not blank.
  • If using SSIS variables or parameters, confirm the values are being passed correctly.
  • Change ProtectionLevel in SSIS package to EncryptSensitiveWithUserKey or similar to avoid empty credentials at runtime.
    ProtectionLevel
    ProtectionLevel383×121 4.49 KB

You can find the Troubleshooting Guide here for your reference.

Solution 4 – Update ZappySys PowerPack

Older builds may have limited support for advanced MongoDB authentication.

Summary

By specifying authSource=admin, confirming the authentication mechanism authMechanism=SCRAM-SHA-256, verifying credentials, and updating to the latest build, you can resolve most SCRAM-SHA-related MongoDB connection issues in ZappySys.If you continue to face issues or have specific questions, please reach out to our support team via live chat.