Android™

Set the FTP Password from a SecureString

Demonstrates the Chilkat Ftp2.SetSecurePassword method, which sets the login password from a SecureString. The only argument is the SecureString. It is equivalent to setting the Password property but avoids holding the password as an ordinary immutable string.

Background: An ordinary string password can linger in memory (and in memory dumps) because strings are immutable and copied freely. A SecureString keeps the value encrypted under a session key and clears it deterministically, reducing that exposure — a sensible upgrade for a credential the process holds for the life of the connection. Populate it from a runtime source rather than a hard-coded literal.

Chilkat Android™ Downloads

Download Chilkat for Android™

Android™

// Important: Don't forget to include the call to System.loadLibrary
// as shown at the bottom of this code sample.
package com.test;

import android.app.Activity;
import com.chilkatsoft.*;

import android.widget.TextView;
import android.os.Bundle;

public class SimpleActivity extends Activity {

  private static final String TAG = "Chilkat";

  // Called when the activity is first created.
  @Override
  public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

    boolean success = false;

    //  Demonstrates the Ftp2.SetSecurePassword method, which sets the login password from a
    //  SecureString.  The only argument is the SecureString.  This avoids holding the password as an
    //  ordinary immutable string.

    CkFtp2 ftp = new CkFtp2();

    ftp.put_Hostname("ftp.example.com");
    ftp.put_Username("myFtpLogin");

    //  Normally you would not hard-code the password in source.  You should instead obtain it
    //  from an interactive prompt, environment variable, or a secrets vault.
    String password = "myPassword";

    //  Place the password into a SecureString, which keeps it encrypted in memory.
    CkSecureString securePassword = new CkSecureString();
    securePassword.Append(password);

    //  Setting the secure password is equivalent to setting the Password property, but more
    //  protective.
    success = ftp.SetSecurePassword(securePassword);
    if (success == false) {
        Log.i(TAG, ftp.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    success = ftp.Connect();
    if (success == false) {
        Log.i(TAG, ftp.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    Log.i(TAG, "Connected using a secure password.");

    success = ftp.Disconnect();
    if (success == false) {
        Log.i(TAG, ftp.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }


  }

  static {
      System.loadLibrary("chilkat");

      // Note: If the incorrect library name is passed to System.loadLibrary,
      // then you will see the following error message at application startup:
      //"The application <your-application-name> has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again."
  }
}