Microsoft® .NET Compact Framework Kick Start

In Brief

• The native CryptoAPI is a brittle programming interface that is capable of most common cryptography related functions. Users of the .NET Compact Framework must target the CryptoAPI to perform cryptography in their applications.

• Due to the brittleness and large number of pitfalls associated with targeting the CryptoAPI class directory from managed code, we provide a simpler-to-use wrapper class called ManagedCryptoAPI.

• ManagedCryptoAPI uses central concepts related to CryptoAPI. Specifically, developers must understand the notion of a handle and a CryptoAPI context.

• CryptoAPI is extensible. Developers can plug in their own “provider” to perform cryptography inside CryptoAPI. Because of its ubiquitous availability, the ManagedCryptoAPI uses ...