Pascal (Lazarus/Delphi)

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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Pascal (Lazarus/Delphi)

program ChilkatDemo;

// Demonstrates using the Chilkat Pascal wrapper via the C bridge DLL.
// Builds as a console application under Lazarus (FPC) or Delphi.

{$IFDEF FPC}
  {$MODE DELPHI}
{$ENDIF}
{$APPTYPE CONSOLE}

uses
  {$IFDEF UNIX}
  cthreads,
  {$ENDIF}
  SysUtils,
  CkDllLoader,
  Chilkat.Ftp2,
  Chilkat.SecureString;

// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

procedure RunDemo;
var
  success: Boolean;
  ftp: TFtp2;
  password: string;
  securePassword: TSecureString;

begin
  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.

  ftp := TFtp2.Create;

  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.
  password := 'myPassword';

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

  //  Setting the secure password is equivalent to setting the Password property, but more
  //  protective.
  success := ftp.SetSecurePassword(securePassword);
  if (success = False) then
    begin
      WriteLn(ftp.LastErrorText);
      Exit;
    end;

  success := ftp.Connect();
  if (success = False) then
    begin
      WriteLn(ftp.LastErrorText);
      Exit;
    end;
  WriteLn('Connected using a secure password.');

  success := ftp.Disconnect();
  if (success = False) then
    begin
      WriteLn(ftp.LastErrorText);
      Exit;
    end;


  ftp.Free;
  securePassword.Free;

end;

// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

begin

  try
    RunDemo;
  except
    on E: Exception do
      WriteLn('Unhandled exception: ', E.ClassName, ': ', E.Message);
  end;

  WriteLn;
  {$IFDEF MSWINDOWS}
  WriteLn('Press Enter to exit...');
  ReadLn;
  {$ENDIF}
end.