ProtectedMemory.Protect(Byte[], MemoryProtectionScope) Method

Definition

Namespace:

System.Security.Cryptography

Assembly:

System.Security.dll

Protects the specified data.

public:
 static void Protect(cli::array <System::Byte> ^ userData, System::Security::Cryptography::MemoryProtectionScope scope);

public static void Protect (byte[] userData, System.Security.Cryptography.MemoryProtectionScope scope);

static member Protect : byte[] * System.Security.Cryptography.MemoryProtectionScope -> unit

Public Shared Sub Protect (userData As Byte(), scope As MemoryProtectionScope)

Parameters

userData

Byte[]

The byte array containing data in memory to protect. The array must be a multiple of 16 bytes.

scope

MemoryProtectionScope

One of the enumeration values that specifies the scope of memory protection.

Exceptions

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.

Examples

The following code example shows how to use data protection.

#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 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 );
}

using System;
using System.Security.Cryptography;

public class MemoryProtectionSample
{

    public static void Main()
    {
        // Create the original data to be encrypted (The data length should be a multiple of 16).
        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 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 );
    }
}

Imports System.Security.Cryptography

Public Class MemoryProtectionSample

    Public Shared Sub Main()
        ' Create the original data to be encrypted (The data length should be a multiple of 16).
        Dim secret As Byte() = {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 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)

    End Sub
End Class

Remarks

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.