Objective-C

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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Objective-C

#import <CkoFtp2.h>
#import <NSString.h>
#import <CkoSecureString.h>

BOOL success = NO;

//  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.

CkoFtp2 *ftp = [[CkoFtp2 alloc] init];

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.
NSString *password = @"myPassword";

//  Place the password into a SecureString, which keeps it encrypted in memory.
CkoSecureString *securePassword = [[CkoSecureString alloc] init];
[securePassword Append: password];

//  Setting the secure password is equivalent to setting the Password property, but more
//  protective.
success = [ftp SetSecurePassword: securePassword];
if (success == NO) {
    NSLog(@"%@",ftp.LastErrorText);
    return;
}

success = [ftp Connect];
if (success == NO) {
    NSLog(@"%@",ftp.LastErrorText);
    return;
}

NSLog(@"%@",@"Connected using a secure password.");

success = [ftp Disconnect];
if (success == NO) {
    NSLog(@"%@",ftp.LastErrorText);
    return;
}