ProtectedData.Unprotect(Byte[], Byte[], DataProtectionScope) Method

Definition

Namespace:

System.Security.Cryptography

Assembly:

System.Security.Cryptography.ProtectedData.dll

Decrypts the data in a specified byte array and returns a byte array that contains the decrypted data.

public:
 static cli::array <System::Byte> ^ Unprotect(cli::array <System::Byte> ^ encryptedData, cli::array <System::Byte> ^ optionalEntropy, System::Security::Cryptography::DataProtectionScope scope);

public static byte[] Unprotect (byte[] encryptedData, byte[]? optionalEntropy, System.Security.Cryptography.DataProtectionScope scope);

static member Unprotect : byte[] * byte[] * System.Security.Cryptography.DataProtectionScope -> byte[]

Public Shared Function Unprotect (encryptedData As Byte(), optionalEntropy As Byte(), scope As DataProtectionScope) As Byte()

Parameters

encryptedData

Byte[]

A byte array containing data encrypted using the Protect(Byte[], Byte[], DataProtectionScope) method.

optionalEntropy

Byte[]

An optional additional byte array that was used to encrypt the data, or null if the additional byte array was not used.

scope

DataProtectionScope

One of the enumeration values that specifies the scope of data protection that was used to encrypt the data.

Returns

Byte[]

A byte array representing the decrypted data.

Exceptions

ArgumentNullException

The encryptedData parameter is null.

CryptographicException

The decryption failed.

NotSupportedException

The operating system does not support this method.

OutOfMemoryException

Out of memory.

PlatformNotSupportedException

.NET Core and .NET 5+ only: Calls to the Unprotect method are supported on Windows operating systems only.

Examples

The following code example shows how to use data protection.

#using <System.Security.dll>

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

public ref class DataProtectionSample
{
private:

   // Create byte array for additional entropy when using Protect method.
   static array<Byte>^s_additionalEntropy = {9,8,7,6,5};

public:
   static void Main()
   {
      
      // Create a simple byte array containing data to be encrypted.
      array<Byte>^secret = {0,1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4};
      
      //Encrypt the data.
      array<Byte>^encryptedSecret = Protect( secret );
      Console::WriteLine( "The encrypted byte array is:" );
      PrintValues( encryptedSecret );
      
      // Decrypt the data and store in a byte array.
      array<Byte>^originalData = Unprotect( encryptedSecret );
      Console::WriteLine( "{0}The original data is:", Environment::NewLine );
      PrintValues( originalData );
   }

   static array<Byte>^ Protect( array<Byte>^data )
   {
      try
      {
         
         // Encrypt the data using DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser. The result can be decrypted
         //  only by the same current user.
         return ProtectedData::Protect( data, s_additionalEntropy, DataProtectionScope::CurrentUser );
      }
      catch ( CryptographicException^ e ) 
      {
         Console::WriteLine( "Data was not encrypted. An error occurred." );
         Console::WriteLine( e );
         return nullptr;
      }
   }

   static array<Byte>^ Unprotect( array<Byte>^data )
   {
      try
      {
         
         //Decrypt the data using DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser.
         return ProtectedData::Unprotect( data, s_additionalEntropy, DataProtectionScope::CurrentUser );
      }
      catch ( CryptographicException^ e ) 
      {
         Console::WriteLine( "Data was not decrypted. An error occurred." );
         Console::WriteLine( e );
         return nullptr;
      }
   }

   static void PrintValues( array<Byte>^myArr )
   {
      System::Collections::IEnumerator^ myEnum = myArr->GetEnumerator();
      while ( myEnum->MoveNext() )
      {
         Byte i = safe_cast<Byte>(myEnum->Current);
         Console::Write( "\t{0}", i );
      }

      Console::WriteLine();
   }
};

int main()
{
   DataProtectionSample::Main();
}

using System;
using System.Security.Cryptography;

public class DataProtectionSample
{
    // Create byte array for additional entropy when using Protect method.
    static byte [] s_additionalEntropy = { 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 };

    public static void Main()
    {
        // Create a simple byte array containing data to be encrypted.
        byte [] secret = { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4 };

        //Encrypt the data.
        byte [] encryptedSecret = Protect( secret );
        Console.WriteLine("The encrypted byte array is:");
        PrintValues(encryptedSecret);

        // Decrypt the data and store in a byte array.
        byte [] originalData = Unprotect( encryptedSecret );
        Console.WriteLine("{0}The original data is:", Environment.NewLine);
        PrintValues(originalData);
    }

    public static byte [] Protect( byte [] data )
    {
        try
        {
            // Encrypt the data using DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser. The result can be decrypted
            // only by the same current user.
            return ProtectedData.Protect( data, s_additionalEntropy, DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser );
        }
        catch (CryptographicException e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Data was not encrypted. An error occurred.");
            Console.WriteLine(e.ToString());
            return null;
        }
    }

    public static byte [] Unprotect( byte [] data )
    {
        try
        {
            //Decrypt the data using DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser.
            return ProtectedData.Unprotect( data, s_additionalEntropy, DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser );
        }
        catch (CryptographicException e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Data was not decrypted. An error occurred.");
            Console.WriteLine(e.ToString());
            return null;
        }
    }

    public static void PrintValues( Byte[] myArr )
    {
        foreach ( Byte i in myArr )
        {
            Console.Write( "\t{0}", i );
        }
        Console.WriteLine();
    }
}

Imports System.Security.Cryptography



Public Class DataProtectionSample
    ' Create byte array for additional entropy when using Protect method.
    Private Shared s_additionalEntropy As Byte() = {9, 8, 7, 6, 5}


    Public Shared Sub Main()
        ' Create a simple byte array containing data to be encrypted.
        Dim secret As Byte() = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4}

        'Encrypt the data.
        Dim encryptedSecret As Byte() = Protect(secret)
        Console.WriteLine("The encrypted byte array is:")
        PrintValues(encryptedSecret)

        ' Decrypt the data and store in a byte array.
        Dim originalData As Byte() = Unprotect(encryptedSecret)
        Console.WriteLine("{0}The original data is:", Environment.NewLine)
        PrintValues(originalData)

    End Sub


    Public Shared Function Protect(ByVal data() As Byte) As Byte()
        Try
            ' Encrypt the data using DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser. The result can be decrypted
            '  only by the same current user.
            Return ProtectedData.Protect(data, s_additionalEntropy, DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser)
        Catch e As CryptographicException
            Console.WriteLine("Data was not encrypted. An error occurred.")
            Console.WriteLine(e.ToString())
            Return Nothing
        End Try

    End Function


    Public Shared Function Unprotect(ByVal data() As Byte) As Byte()
        Try
            'Decrypt the data using DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser.
            Return ProtectedData.Unprotect(data, s_additionalEntropy, DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser)
        Catch e As CryptographicException
            Console.WriteLine("Data was not decrypted. An error occurred.")
            Console.WriteLine(e.ToString())
            Return Nothing
        End Try

    End Function


    Public Shared Sub PrintValues(ByVal myArr() As [Byte])
        Dim i As [Byte]
        For Each i In myArr
            Console.Write(vbTab + "{0}", i)
        Next i
        Console.WriteLine()

    End Sub
End Class

Remarks

This method can be used to unprotect data that was encrypted using the Protect method. If the optionalEntropy parameter was used during encryption, it must be supplied to unencrypt the data.

Note

If you use this method during impersonation, you may receive the following error: "Key not valid for use in specified state." To prevent this error, load the profile of the user you want to impersonate before calling the method.