The following topics describe the elements and tasks of basic cryptography services.

Key Databases

Explains what key databases are, and how Cryptographic Service Providers (CSPs) use them to persist cryptographic keys.

Key BLOBs

Explains what Key Binary Large Objects (key BLOBs) are, and how to use them.

Generating Cryptographic Keys

Explains how to generate cryptographic keys, and details the set the functions that an application can use to generate cryptographic keys.

Connecting to a CSP

Explains how to connect to a CSP, and details the set of functions an application can use to connect to a cryptographic service provider (CSP). These functions also enable applications to choose a specific CSP by name or get one with a specific set of properties.

Exchanging Public Keys

Explains why, when, and how to exchange public keys.

Importing Raw Cryptographic Keys

Explains how to import raw cryptographic keys. This topic includes a code example that demonstrates how to work with raw keys.

Exporting Cryptographic Keys

Explains why, when, and how to export cryptographic keys, and details the functions you can use to create, configure, and destroy cryptographic keys, and exchange them with other users.

Storing Session Keys

Explains how to store session key BLOBs, and describes an alternative method of storing session keys.

Using a Backup Authority

Describes what a Backup Authority is, and how to store a session key in one.

Exchanging Session Keys

Explains why, when, and how to exchange session keys.

Encrypting and Decrypting Data

Explains how to encrypt and decrypt data. This section also includes code samples that demonstrate how to encrypt and decrypt data.

Encrypting and Decrypting Simultaneously

Explains how to encrypt and decrypt information simultaneously. This section includes a code examples demonstrating how a copy of a session key can be obtained.

Creating Digital Signatures

Explains how to create digital signatures, and details the set of functions that applications can use to compute secure digests of data, and to create and verify digital signatures.

Signing and Verifying Messages

Explains how to digitally sign messages, and how to verify digitally signed messages.

Hashing and Digital Signature Algorithms

Describes several algorithms used to compute hashes and digital signatures. Each algorithm is supported by the Microsoft RSA Base Provider.