Example C Program: Creating and Hashing a Session Key

The following example creates and hashes a session key that can be used to encrypt a message, text, or file.

This example also shows using the following CryptoAPI functions:

• CryptAcquireContext to acquire a cryptographic service provider.
• CryptCreateHash to create an empty hash object.
• CryptGenKey to create a random session key.
• CryptHashSessionKey to hash the session key created.
• CryptDestroyHash to destroy the hash.
• CryptDestroyKey to destroy the key created.
• CryptReleaseContext to release the CSP.

This example uses the function MyHandleError. The code for this function is included with the sample. Code for this and other auxiliary functions is also listed under General Purpose Functions.

//  Copyright (C) Microsoft. All rights reserved.
//  
//  CreateAndHashSessionKey.cpp : Defines the entry point for the 
//  application.
//

#include <stdafx.h>

#include <stdio.h>
#include <windows.h>
#include <Wincrypt.h>

// Link with the Crypt32.lib file.
#pragma comment (lib, "Crypt32")

#define MY_ENCODING_TYPE  (PKCS_7_ASN_ENCODING | X509_ASN_ENCODING)

void MyHandleError(LPTSTR psz);

void main()
{
    HCRYPTPROV hCryptProv;
    HCRYPTHASH hHash;
    HCRYPTKEY hKey;

    //---------------------------------------------------------------
    // Acquire a cryptographic provider context handle.
    if(CryptAcquireContext(
        &hCryptProv, 
        NULL, 
        NULL, 
        PROV_RSA_FULL, 
        0)) 
    {
        printf("CryptAcquireContext complete. \n");
    }
    else
    {
        MyHandleError("Acquisition of context failed.");
    }

    //---------------------------------------------------------------
    // Create a hash object.
    if(CryptCreateHash(
        hCryptProv, 
        CALG_MD5, 
        0, 
        0, 
        &hHash)) 
    {
        printf("An empty hash object has been created. \n");
    }
    else
    {
        MyHandleError("Error during CryptBeginHash!\n");
    }

    //---------------------------------------------------------------
    // Create a random session key.
    if(CryptGenKey(
        hCryptProv, 
        CALG_RC2, 
        CRYPT_EXPORTABLE, 
        &hKey)) 
    {
        printf("A random session key has been created. \n");
    }
    else
    {
        MyHandleError("Error during CryptGenKey!\n");
    }

    //---------------------------------------------------------------
    // Compute the cryptographic hash on the key object.
    if(CryptHashSessionKey(
        hHash, 
        hKey, 
        0))
    {
        printf("The session key has been hashed. \n");
    }
    else
    {
        MyHandleError("Error during CryptHashSessionKey!\n");
    }

    /*
    Use the hash of the key object. For instance, additional data 
    could be hashed and sent in a message to several recipients. The 
    recipients will be able to verify who the message originator is 
    if the key used is also exported to them.
    */

    //---------------------------------------------------------------
    // Clean up.

    // Destroy the hash object.

    if(hHash)
    {
        if(!(CryptDestroyHash(hHash)))
        {
            MyHandleError("Error during CryptDestroyHash");
        }
    }

    // Destroy the session key.
    if(hKey)
    {
        if(!(CryptDestroyKey(hKey)))
        {
            MyHandleError("Error during CryptDestroyKey");
        }
    }

    // Release the provider.
    if(hCryptProv)
    {
        if(!(CryptReleaseContext(hCryptProv,0)))
        {
            MyHandleError("Error during CryptReleaseContext");
        }
    }
} // End main.

//  Define function MyHandleError.
void MyHandleError(LPTSTR psz)
{
    _ftprintf(stderr, TEXT("An error occurred in the program. \n"));
    _ftprintf(stderr, TEXT("%s\n"), psz);
    _ftprintf(stderr, TEXT("Error number %x.\n"), GetLastError());
    _ftprintf(stderr, TEXT("Program terminating. \n"));
    exit(1);
} // End of MyHandleError.