ml.alternet.security

Interface Password.Clear

All Superinterfaces:

AutoCloseable

All Known Implementing Classes:

AbstractClearPassword

Enclosing interface:

Password

public static interface Password.Clear
extends AutoCloseable

This class helps keeping low the period where a password appear in clear in the memory, in order to make it difficult to find when a memory dump is performed. Usage :

 try (Password.Clear clear = password.getClearCopy()) {
     char[] clearPwd = clear.get();
     // use clearPwd in the block
 }
 // at this point clearPwd has been cleaned
 // before being eligible by the garbage collector
 

The user has to ensure to keep the try-with-resource block as short as possible, and to not make copies of the char array if possible. Once closed, a Password.Clear can't be reused.

Author:

Philippe Poulard

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
void	close() Unset the clear password after usage.
char[]	get() Get a clear copy of the password ; the password remains obfuscated until this method is invoked.

Method Detail

get

char[] get()

Get a clear copy of the password ; the password remains obfuscated until this method is invoked.

Returns:

The clear password.

Throws:

IllegalStateException - If this password has been invalidated.

close

void close()

Unset the clear password after usage.

Specified by:

close in interface AutoCloseable