Xojo Plugin

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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Xojo Plugin

Dim success As 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.

Dim ftp As New Chilkat.Ftp2

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.
Dim password As String
password = "myPassword"

//  Place the password into a SecureString, which keeps it encrypted in memory.
Dim securePassword As New Chilkat.SecureString
success = 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
    System.DebugLog(ftp.LastErrorText)
    Return
End If

success = ftp.Connect()
If (success = False) Then
    System.DebugLog(ftp.LastErrorText)
    Return
End If

System.DebugLog("Connected using a secure password.")

success = ftp.Disconnect()
If (success = False) Then
    System.DebugLog(ftp.LastErrorText)
    Return
End If