Security Fundamentals
This section provides an overview of the key security concepts that are essential when developing Windows applications using the Win32 and WinRT APIs.
Core Concepts
- Authentication: Verifying the identity of a user or service.
- Authorization: Determining what resources an authenticated principal may access.
- Encryption: Protecting data at rest and in transit.
- Secure Coding: Applying best practices to mitigate common vulnerabilities.
- Auditing & Logging: Recording security‑relevant events for analysis.
Quick Links
Explore the detailed guides below:
- Authentication Guide
- Authorization Guide
- Encryption Guide
- Secure Coding Practices
- Auditing & Logging
Sample Secure API Usage
// Example: Using the Windows Data Protection API (DPAPI) to encrypt data.
#include <windows.h>
#include <dpapi.h>
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
const BYTE *plaintext = (BYTE *)"SensitiveData";
DATA_BLOB inBlob, outBlob;
inBlob.pbData = (BYTE *)plaintext;
inBlob.cbData = (DWORD)strlen((char *)plaintext) + 1;
// Encrypt using DPAPI (user scoped)
if (CryptProtectData(&inBlob, L"Sample", NULL, NULL, NULL, 0, &outBlob)) {
printf("Data encrypted successfully (size: %u bytes)\n", outBlob.cbData);
// Remember to free the outBlob.pbData with LocalFree when done.
LocalFree(outBlob.pbData);
} else {
printf("Encryption failed. Error: %lu\n", GetLastError());
}
return 0;
}