DataProtection Class

Represents the ability to encrypt and decrypt strings using the Windows Data Protection API (DPAPI).

Inheritance Hierarchy

System.Object
  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data.DataProtection

Namespace:  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data
Assembly:  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data (in Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data.dll)

Syntax

'Declaration
Public NotInheritable Class DataProtection

public sealed class DataProtection

public ref class DataProtection sealed

[<Sealed>]
type DataProtection =  class end

public final class DataProtection

The DataProtection type exposes the following members.

Methods

	Name	Description
	DecryptString	Decrypts a specified string.
	EncryptString	Encrypts a specified string.
	Equals	Determines whether the specified Object is equal to the current Object. (Inherited from Object.)
	Finalize	Allows an object to try to free resources and perform other cleanup operations before it is reclaimed by garbage collection. (Inherited from Object.)
	GetHashCode	Serves as a hash function for a particular type. (Inherited from Object.)
	GetType	Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object.)
	MemberwiseClone	Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object.)
	ToString	Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object.)

Top

Remarks

When working with data connection strings, Visual Studio tries to keep encrypted data in its encrypted state. In general, the DDEX API represents connection strings as a "display" connection string, which contains no sensitive information, and as an "encrypted" connection string, which is more complete. DDEX uses the methods on this class to encrypt or decrypt these strings.

The encryption algorithm used depends on the current user and machine, and as such a string encrypted using the EncryptString method can only be decrypted by calling the DecryptString method when running as the same user on the same machine.

Thread Safety

Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.

See Also

Reference

Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data Namespace

DataConnection

DPAPIProtectedConfigurationProvider