Cryptography

Modern .NET cryptography isn’t about understanding elliptic curve mathematics or implementing cipher algorithms. It’s about recognizing when encryption is necessary, using battle-tested APIs correctly, and managing cryptographic keys with the paranoia they deserve. The .NET Data Protection API abstracts complexity while enforcing sound practices—but only if you understand its purpose strings, key rotation, and storage requirements.

Your Encryption Is Broken — .NET Data Protection Done Right

Every developer who has tried simple encryption with XOR and hardcoded keys eventually faces the audit that exposes their house of cards. I’ve watched production systems fail compliance assessments because someone believed base64 encoding was good enough or that compilation obscures secrets. The .NET Data Protection API exists precisely because Microsoft’s cryptography team spent years solving problems most developers don’t know they have. This isn’t about learning yet another library—it’s about understanding why professional implementations outperform clever hacks, and how Azure Key Vault integration transforms theoretical security into auditable compliance.