ProtectedMemory::Protect Method (array<Byte>^, MemoryProtectionScope)

.NET Framework (current version)

Protects the specified data.

Namespace: System.Security.Cryptography
Assembly: System.Security (in System.Security.dll)

Syntax

public:
static void Protect(
	array<unsigned char>^ userData,
	MemoryProtectionScope scope
)

Parameters

userData: Type: array<System::Byte>^
The byte array containing data in memory to protect. The array must be a multiple of 16 bytes.

scope: Type: System.Security.Cryptography::MemoryProtectionScope
One of the enumeration values that specifies the scope of memory protection.

Exceptions

Exception	Condition
CryptographicException	userData must be 16 bytes in length or in multiples of 16 bytes.
NotSupportedException	The operating system does not support this method. This method can be used only with the Windows 2000 or later operating systems.
ArgumentNullException	userData is null.

This method can be used to protect data in memory. Note that the method does not make a copy of the data, but encrypts the byte array in place. The userData parameter must be 16 bytes in length or a multiple of 16 bytes.

Support for this method is available in the Windows XP and later operating systems.

Examples

The following code example shows how to use data protection.

C++

#using <System.Security.dll>

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Security::Cryptography;

int main()
{

   // Create the original data to be encrypted (The data length should be a multiple of 16).
   array<Byte>^secret = {1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4};

   // Encrypt the data in memory. The result is stored in the same same array as the original data.
   ProtectedMemory::Protect( secret, MemoryProtectionScope::SameLogon );

   // Decrypt the data in memory and store in the original array.
   ProtectedMemory::Unprotect( secret, MemoryProtectionScope::SameLogon );
}

Version Information

.NET Framework
Available since 2.0