Lua

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.

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Lua

local chilkat = require("chilkat")

-- 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.

local ftp = chilkat.Ftp2.new()

ftp.hostname = "ftp.example.com"
ftp.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.
local password = "myPassword"

-- Place the password into a SecureString, which keeps it encrypted in memory.
local securePassword = chilkat.SecureString.new()
securePassword:append(password)

-- Setting the secure password is equivalent to setting the Password property, but more
-- protective.
local success = ftp:set_secure_password(securePassword)
if not success then
    print(ftp.last_error_text)
    return
end

success = ftp:connect()
if not success then
    print(ftp.last_error_text)
    return
end

print("Connected using a secure password.")

success = ftp:disconnect()
if not success then
    print(ftp.last_error_text)
    return
end