C# Language Cryptography (System.Security.Cryptography) Modern Examples of Symmetric Authenticated Encryption of a string

Example

Cryptography is something very hard and after spending a lot of time reading different examples and seeing how easy it is to introduce some form of vulnerability I found an answer originally written by @jbtule that I think is very good. Enjoy reading:

"The general best practice for symmetric encryption is to use Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data (AEAD), however this isn't a part of the standard .net crypto libraries. So the first example uses AES256 and then HMAC256, a two step Encrypt then MAC, which requires more overhead and more keys.

The second example uses the simpler practice of AES256-GCM using the open source Bouncy Castle (via nuget).

Both examples have a main function that takes secret message string, key(s) and an optional non-secret payload and return and authenticated encrypted string optionally prepended with the non-secret data. Ideally you would use these with 256bit key(s) randomly generated see NewKey().

Both examples also have a helper methods that use a string password to generate the keys. These helper methods are provided as a convenience to match up with other examples, however they are far less secure because the strength of the password is going to be far weaker than a 256 bit key.

Update: Added byte[] overloads, and only the Gist has the full formatting with 4 spaces indent and api docs due to StackOverflow answer limits."

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.NET Built-in Encrypt(AES)-Then-MAC(HMAC) [Gist]

/*
 * This work (Modern Encryption of a String C#, by James Tuley), 
 * identified by James Tuley, is free of known copyright restrictions.
 * https://gist.github.com/4336842
 * http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ 
 */

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Security.Cryptography;
using System.Text;

namespace Encryption
{
  public static class AESThenHMAC
  {
    private static readonly RandomNumberGenerator Random = RandomNumberGenerator.Create();
    
    //Preconfigured Encryption Parameters
    public static readonly int BlockBitSize = 128;
    public static readonly int KeyBitSize = 256;

    //Preconfigured Password Key Derivation Parameters
    public static readonly int SaltBitSize = 64;
    public static readonly int Iterations = 10000;
    public static readonly int MinPasswordLength = 12;

    /// <summary>
    /// Helper that generates a random key on each call.
    /// </summary>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public static byte[] NewKey()
    {
      var key = new byte[KeyBitSize / 8];
      Random.GetBytes(key);
      return key;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Simple Encryption (AES) then Authentication (HMAC) for a UTF8 Message.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="secretMessage">The secret message.</param>
    /// <param name="cryptKey">The crypt key.</param>
    /// <param name="authKey">The auth key.</param>
    /// <param name="nonSecretPayload">(Optional) Non-Secret Payload.</param>
    /// <returns>
    /// Encrypted Message
    /// </returns>
    /// <exception cref="System.ArgumentException">Secret Message Required!;secretMessage</exception>
    /// <remarks>
    /// Adds overhead of (Optional-Payload + BlockSize(16) + Message-Padded-To-Blocksize +  HMac-Tag(32)) * 1.33 Base64
    /// </remarks>
    public static string SimpleEncrypt(string secretMessage, byte[] cryptKey, byte[] authKey,
                       byte[] nonSecretPayload = null)
    {
      if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(secretMessage))
        throw new ArgumentException("Secret Message Required!", "secretMessage");

      var plainText = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(secretMessage);
      var cipherText = SimpleEncrypt(plainText, cryptKey, authKey, nonSecretPayload);
      return Convert.ToBase64String(cipherText);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Simple Authentication (HMAC) then Decryption (AES) for a secrets UTF8 Message.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="encryptedMessage">The encrypted message.</param>
    /// <param name="cryptKey">The crypt key.</param>
    /// <param name="authKey">The auth key.</param>
    /// <param name="nonSecretPayloadLength">Length of the non secret payload.</param>
    /// <returns>
    /// Decrypted Message
    /// </returns>
    /// <exception cref="System.ArgumentException">Encrypted Message Required!;encryptedMessage</exception>
    public static string SimpleDecrypt(string encryptedMessage, byte[] cryptKey, byte[] authKey,
                       int nonSecretPayloadLength = 0)
    {
      if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(encryptedMessage))
        throw new ArgumentException("Encrypted Message Required!", "encryptedMessage");

      var cipherText = Convert.FromBase64String(encryptedMessage);
      var plainText = SimpleDecrypt(cipherText, cryptKey, authKey, nonSecretPayloadLength);
      return plainText == null ? null : Encoding.UTF8.GetString(plainText);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Simple Encryption (AES) then Authentication (HMAC) of a UTF8 message
    /// using Keys derived from a Password (PBKDF2).
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="secretMessage">The secret message.</param>
    /// <param name="password">The password.</param>
    /// <param name="nonSecretPayload">The non secret payload.</param>
    /// <returns>
    /// Encrypted Message
    /// </returns>
    /// <exception cref="System.ArgumentException">password</exception>
    /// <remarks>
    /// Significantly less secure than using random binary keys.
    /// Adds additional non secret payload for key generation parameters.
    /// </remarks>
    public static string SimpleEncryptWithPassword(string secretMessage, string password,
                             byte[] nonSecretPayload = null)
    {
      if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(secretMessage))
        throw new ArgumentException("Secret Message Required!", "secretMessage");

      var plainText = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(secretMessage);
      var cipherText = SimpleEncryptWithPassword(plainText, password, nonSecretPayload);
      return Convert.ToBase64String(cipherText);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Simple Authentication (HMAC) and then Descryption (AES) of a UTF8 Message
    /// using keys derived from a password (PBKDF2). 
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="encryptedMessage">The encrypted message.</param>
    /// <param name="password">The password.</param>
    /// <param name="nonSecretPayloadLength">Length of the non secret payload.</param>
    /// <returns>
    /// Decrypted Message
    /// </returns>
    /// <exception cref="System.ArgumentException">Encrypted Message Required!;encryptedMessage</exception>
    /// <remarks>
    /// Significantly less secure than using random binary keys.
    /// </remarks>
    public static string SimpleDecryptWithPassword(string encryptedMessage, string password,
                             int nonSecretPayloadLength = 0)
    {
      if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(encryptedMessage))
        throw new ArgumentException("Encrypted Message Required!", "encryptedMessage");

      var cipherText = Convert.FromBase64String(encryptedMessage);
      var plainText = SimpleDecryptWithPassword(cipherText, password, nonSecretPayloadLength);
      return plainText == null ? null : Encoding.UTF8.GetString(plainText);
    }

    public static byte[] SimpleEncrypt(byte[] secretMessage, byte[] cryptKey, byte[] authKey, byte[] nonSecretPayload = null)
    {
      //User Error Checks
      if (cryptKey == null || cryptKey.Length != KeyBitSize / 8)
        throw new ArgumentException(String.Format("Key needs to be {0} bit!", KeyBitSize), "cryptKey");

      if (authKey == null || authKey.Length != KeyBitSize / 8)
        throw new ArgumentException(String.Format("Key needs to be {0} bit!", KeyBitSize), "authKey");

      if (secretMessage == null || secretMessage.Length < 1)
        throw new ArgumentException("Secret Message Required!", "secretMessage");

      //non-secret payload optional
      nonSecretPayload = nonSecretPayload ?? new byte[] { };

      byte[] cipherText;
      byte[] iv;

      using (var aes = new AesManaged
      {
        KeySize = KeyBitSize,
        BlockSize = BlockBitSize,
        Mode = CipherMode.CBC,
        Padding = PaddingMode.PKCS7
      })
      {

        //Use random IV
        aes.GenerateIV();
        iv = aes.IV;

        using (var encrypter = aes.CreateEncryptor(cryptKey, iv))
        using (var cipherStream = new MemoryStream())
        {
          using (var cryptoStream = new CryptoStream(cipherStream, encrypter, CryptoStreamMode.Write))
          using (var binaryWriter = new BinaryWriter(cryptoStream))
          {
            //Encrypt Data
            binaryWriter.Write(secretMessage);
          }

          cipherText = cipherStream.ToArray();
        }

      }

      //Assemble encrypted message and add authentication
      using (var hmac = new HMACSHA256(authKey))
      using (var encryptedStream = new MemoryStream())
      {
        using (var binaryWriter = new BinaryWriter(encryptedStream))
        {
          //Prepend non-secret payload if any
          binaryWriter.Write(nonSecretPayload);
          //Prepend IV
          binaryWriter.Write(iv);
          //Write Ciphertext
          binaryWriter.Write(cipherText);
          binaryWriter.Flush();

          //Authenticate all data
          var tag = hmac.ComputeHash(encryptedStream.ToArray());
          //Postpend tag
          binaryWriter.Write(tag);
        }
        return encryptedStream.ToArray();
      }

    }

    public static byte[] SimpleDecrypt(byte[] encryptedMessage, byte[] cryptKey, byte[] authKey, int nonSecretPayloadLength = 0)
    {

      //Basic Usage Error Checks
      if (cryptKey == null || cryptKey.Length != KeyBitSize / 8)
        throw new ArgumentException(String.Format("CryptKey needs to be {0} bit!", KeyBitSize), "cryptKey");

      if (authKey == null || authKey.Length != KeyBitSize / 8)
        throw new ArgumentException(String.Format("AuthKey needs to be {0} bit!", KeyBitSize), "authKey");

      if (encryptedMessage == null || encryptedMessage.Length == 0)
        throw new ArgumentException("Encrypted Message Required!", "encryptedMessage");

      using (var hmac = new HMACSHA256(authKey))
      {
        var sentTag = new byte[hmac.HashSize / 8];
        //Calculate Tag
        var calcTag = hmac.ComputeHash(encryptedMessage, 0, encryptedMessage.Length - sentTag.Length);
        var ivLength = (BlockBitSize / 8);

        //if message length is to small just return null
        if (encryptedMessage.Length < sentTag.Length + nonSecretPayloadLength + ivLength)
          return null;

        //Grab Sent Tag
        Array.Copy(encryptedMessage, encryptedMessage.Length - sentTag.Length, sentTag, 0, sentTag.Length);

        //Compare Tag with constant time comparison
        var compare = 0;
        for (var i = 0; i < sentTag.Length; i++)
          compare |= sentTag[i] ^ calcTag[i]; 

        //if message doesn't authenticate return null
        if (compare != 0)
          return null;

        using (var aes = new AesManaged
        {
          KeySize = KeyBitSize,
          BlockSize = BlockBitSize,
          Mode = CipherMode.CBC,
          Padding = PaddingMode.PKCS7
        })
        {

          //Grab IV from message
          var iv = new byte[ivLength];
          Array.Copy(encryptedMessage, nonSecretPayloadLength, iv, 0, iv.Length);

          using (var decrypter = aes.CreateDecryptor(cryptKey, iv))
          using (var plainTextStream = new MemoryStream())
          {
            using (var decrypterStream = new CryptoStream(plainTextStream, decrypter, CryptoStreamMode.Write))
            using (var binaryWriter = new BinaryWriter(decrypterStream))
            {
              //Decrypt Cipher Text from Message
              binaryWriter.Write(
                encryptedMessage,
                nonSecretPayloadLength + iv.Length,
                encryptedMessage.Length - nonSecretPayloadLength - iv.Length - sentTag.Length
              );
            }
            //Return Plain Text
            return plainTextStream.ToArray();
          }
        }
      }
    }

    public static byte[] SimpleEncryptWithPassword(byte[] secretMessage, string password, byte[] nonSecretPayload = null)
    {
      nonSecretPayload = nonSecretPayload ?? new byte[] {};

      //User Error Checks
      if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(password) || password.Length < MinPasswordLength)
        throw new ArgumentException(String.Format("Must have a password of at least {0} characters!", MinPasswordLength), "password");

      if (secretMessage == null || secretMessage.Length ==0)
        throw new ArgumentException("Secret Message Required!", "secretMessage");

      var payload = new byte[((SaltBitSize / 8) * 2) + nonSecretPayload.Length];

      Array.Copy(nonSecretPayload, payload, nonSecretPayload.Length);
      int payloadIndex = nonSecretPayload.Length;

      byte[] cryptKey;
      byte[] authKey;
      //Use Random Salt to prevent pre-generated weak password attacks.
      using (var generator = new Rfc2898DeriveBytes(password, SaltBitSize / 8, Iterations))
      {
        var salt = generator.Salt;

        //Generate Keys
        cryptKey = generator.GetBytes(KeyBitSize / 8);

        //Create Non Secret Payload
        Array.Copy(salt, 0, payload, payloadIndex, salt.Length);
        payloadIndex += salt.Length;
      }

      //Deriving separate key, might be less efficient than using HKDF, 
      //but now compatible with RNEncryptor which had a very similar wireformat and requires less code than HKDF.
      using (var generator = new Rfc2898DeriveBytes(password, SaltBitSize / 8, Iterations))
      {
        var salt = generator.Salt;

        //Generate Keys
        authKey = generator.GetBytes(KeyBitSize / 8);

        //Create Rest of Non Secret Payload
        Array.Copy(salt, 0, payload, payloadIndex, salt.Length);
      }

      return SimpleEncrypt(secretMessage, cryptKey, authKey, payload);
    }

    public static byte[] SimpleDecryptWithPassword(byte[] encryptedMessage, string password, int nonSecretPayloadLength = 0)
    {
      //User Error Checks
      if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(password) || password.Length < MinPasswordLength)
        throw new ArgumentException(String.Format("Must have a password of at least {0} characters!", MinPasswordLength), "password");

      if (encryptedMessage == null || encryptedMessage.Length == 0)
        throw new ArgumentException("Encrypted Message Required!", "encryptedMessage");

      var cryptSalt = new byte[SaltBitSize / 8];
      var authSalt = new byte[SaltBitSize / 8];

      //Grab Salt from Non-Secret Payload
      Array.Copy(encryptedMessage, nonSecretPayloadLength, cryptSalt, 0, cryptSalt.Length);
      Array.Copy(encryptedMessage, nonSecretPayloadLength + cryptSalt.Length, authSalt, 0, authSalt.Length);

      byte[] cryptKey;
      byte[] authKey;

      //Generate crypt key
      using (var generator = new Rfc2898DeriveBytes(password, cryptSalt, Iterations))
      {
        cryptKey = generator.GetBytes(KeyBitSize / 8);
      }
      //Generate auth key
      using (var generator = new Rfc2898DeriveBytes(password, authSalt, Iterations))
      {
        authKey = generator.GetBytes(KeyBitSize / 8);
      }

      return SimpleDecrypt(encryptedMessage, cryptKey, authKey, cryptSalt.Length + authSalt.Length + nonSecretPayloadLength);
    }
  }
}

---

Bouncy Castle AES-GCM [Gist]

/*
 * This work (Modern Encryption of a String C#, by James Tuley), 
 * identified by James Tuley, is free of known copyright restrictions.
 * https://gist.github.com/4336842
 * http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ 
 */

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Text;
using Org.BouncyCastle.Crypto;
using Org.BouncyCastle.Crypto.Engines;
using Org.BouncyCastle.Crypto.Generators;
using Org.BouncyCastle.Crypto.Modes;
using Org.BouncyCastle.Crypto.Parameters;
using Org.BouncyCastle.Security;
namespace Encryption
{

  public static class AESGCM
  {
    private static readonly SecureRandom Random = new SecureRandom();

    //Preconfigured Encryption Parameters
    public static readonly int NonceBitSize = 128;
    public static readonly int MacBitSize = 128;
    public static readonly int KeyBitSize = 256;

    //Preconfigured Password Key Derivation Parameters
    public static readonly int SaltBitSize = 128;
    public static readonly int Iterations = 10000;
    public static readonly int MinPasswordLength = 12;


    /// <summary>
    /// Helper that generates a random new key on each call.
    /// </summary>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public static byte[] NewKey()
    {
      var key = new byte[KeyBitSize / 8];
      Random.NextBytes(key);
      return key;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Simple Encryption And Authentication (AES-GCM) of a UTF8 string.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="secretMessage">The secret message.</param>
    /// <param name="key">The key.</param>
    /// <param name="nonSecretPayload">Optional non-secret payload.</param>
    /// <returns>
    /// Encrypted Message
    /// </returns>
    /// <exception cref="System.ArgumentException">Secret Message Required!;secretMessage</exception>
    /// <remarks>
    /// Adds overhead of (Optional-Payload + BlockSize(16) + Message +  HMac-Tag(16)) * 1.33 Base64
    /// </remarks>
    public static string SimpleEncrypt(string secretMessage, byte[] key, byte[] nonSecretPayload = null)
    {
      if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(secretMessage))
        throw new ArgumentException("Secret Message Required!", "secretMessage");

      var plainText = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(secretMessage);
      var cipherText = SimpleEncrypt(plainText, key, nonSecretPayload);
      return Convert.ToBase64String(cipherText);
    }


    /// <summary>
    /// Simple Decryption & Authentication (AES-GCM) of a UTF8 Message
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="encryptedMessage">The encrypted message.</param>
    /// <param name="key">The key.</param>
    /// <param name="nonSecretPayloadLength">Length of the optional non-secret payload.</param>
    /// <returns>Decrypted Message</returns>
    public static string SimpleDecrypt(string encryptedMessage, byte[] key, int nonSecretPayloadLength = 0)
    {
      if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(encryptedMessage))
        throw new ArgumentException("Encrypted Message Required!", "encryptedMessage");

      var cipherText = Convert.FromBase64String(encryptedMessage);
      var plainText = SimpleDecrypt(cipherText, key, nonSecretPayloadLength);
      return plainText == null ? null : Encoding.UTF8.GetString(plainText);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Simple Encryption And Authentication (AES-GCM) of a UTF8 String
    /// using key derived from a password (PBKDF2).
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="secretMessage">The secret message.</param>
    /// <param name="password">The password.</param>
    /// <param name="nonSecretPayload">The non secret payload.</param>
    /// <returns>
    /// Encrypted Message
    /// </returns>
    /// <remarks>
    /// Significantly less secure than using random binary keys.
    /// Adds additional non secret payload for key generation parameters.
    /// </remarks>
    public static string SimpleEncryptWithPassword(string secretMessage, string password,
                             byte[] nonSecretPayload = null)
    {
      if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(secretMessage))
        throw new ArgumentException("Secret Message Required!", "secretMessage");

      var plainText = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(secretMessage);
      var cipherText = SimpleEncryptWithPassword(plainText, password, nonSecretPayload);
      return Convert.ToBase64String(cipherText);
    }


    /// <summary>
    /// Simple Decryption and Authentication (AES-GCM) of a UTF8 message
    /// using a key derived from a password (PBKDF2)
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="encryptedMessage">The encrypted message.</param>
    /// <param name="password">The password.</param>
    /// <param name="nonSecretPayloadLength">Length of the non secret payload.</param>
    /// <returns>
    /// Decrypted Message
    /// </returns>
    /// <exception cref="System.ArgumentException">Encrypted Message Required!;encryptedMessage</exception>
    /// <remarks>
    /// Significantly less secure than using random binary keys.
    /// </remarks>
    public static string SimpleDecryptWithPassword(string encryptedMessage, string password,
                             int nonSecretPayloadLength = 0)
    {
      if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(encryptedMessage))
        throw new ArgumentException("Encrypted Message Required!", "encryptedMessage");

      var cipherText = Convert.FromBase64String(encryptedMessage);
      var plainText = SimpleDecryptWithPassword(cipherText, password, nonSecretPayloadLength);
      return plainText == null ? null : Encoding.UTF8.GetString(plainText);
    }

    public static byte[] SimpleEncrypt(byte[] secretMessage, byte[] key, byte[] nonSecretPayload = null)
    {
      //User Error Checks
      if (key == null || key.Length != KeyBitSize / 8)
        throw new ArgumentException(String.Format("Key needs to be {0} bit!", KeyBitSize), "key");

      if (secretMessage == null || secretMessage.Length == 0)
        throw new ArgumentException("Secret Message Required!", "secretMessage");

      //Non-secret Payload Optional
      nonSecretPayload = nonSecretPayload ?? new byte[] { };

      //Using random nonce large enough not to repeat
      var nonce = new byte[NonceBitSize / 8];
      Random.NextBytes(nonce, 0, nonce.Length);

      var cipher = new GcmBlockCipher(new AesFastEngine());
      var parameters = new AeadParameters(new KeyParameter(key), MacBitSize, nonce, nonSecretPayload);
      cipher.Init(true, parameters);

      //Generate Cipher Text With Auth Tag
      var cipherText = new byte[cipher.GetOutputSize(secretMessage.Length)];
      var len = cipher.ProcessBytes(secretMessage, 0, secretMessage.Length, cipherText, 0);
      cipher.DoFinal(cipherText, len);

      //Assemble Message
      using (var combinedStream = new MemoryStream())
      {
        using (var binaryWriter = new BinaryWriter(combinedStream))
        {
          //Prepend Authenticated Payload
          binaryWriter.Write(nonSecretPayload);
          //Prepend Nonce
          binaryWriter.Write(nonce);
          //Write Cipher Text
          binaryWriter.Write(cipherText);
        }
        return combinedStream.ToArray();
      }
    }

    public static byte[] SimpleDecrypt(byte[] encryptedMessage, byte[] key, int nonSecretPayloadLength = 0)
    {
      //User Error Checks
      if (key == null || key.Length != KeyBitSize / 8)
        throw new ArgumentException(String.Format("Key needs to be {0} bit!", KeyBitSize), "key");

      if (encryptedMessage == null || encryptedMessage.Length == 0)
        throw new ArgumentException("Encrypted Message Required!", "encryptedMessage");

      using (var cipherStream = new MemoryStream(encryptedMessage))
      using (var cipherReader = new BinaryReader(cipherStream))
      {
        //Grab Payload
        var nonSecretPayload = cipherReader.ReadBytes(nonSecretPayloadLength);

        //Grab Nonce
        var nonce = cipherReader.ReadBytes(NonceBitSize / 8);
       
        var cipher = new GcmBlockCipher(new AesFastEngine());
        var parameters = new AeadParameters(new KeyParameter(key), MacBitSize, nonce, nonSecretPayload);
        cipher.Init(false, parameters);

        //Decrypt Cipher Text
        var cipherText = cipherReader.ReadBytes(encryptedMessage.Length - nonSecretPayloadLength - nonce.Length);
        var plainText = new byte[cipher.GetOutputSize(cipherText.Length)];  

        try
        {
          var len = cipher.ProcessBytes(cipherText, 0, cipherText.Length, plainText, 0);
          cipher.DoFinal(plainText, len);

        }
        catch (InvalidCipherTextException)
        {
          //Return null if it doesn't authenticate
          return null;
        }

        return plainText;
      }

    }

    public static byte[] SimpleEncryptWithPassword(byte[] secretMessage, string password, byte[] nonSecretPayload = null)
    {
      nonSecretPayload = nonSecretPayload ?? new byte[] {};

      //User Error Checks
      if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(password) || password.Length < MinPasswordLength)
        throw new ArgumentException(String.Format("Must have a password of at least {0} characters!", MinPasswordLength), "password");

      if (secretMessage == null || secretMessage.Length == 0)
        throw new ArgumentException("Secret Message Required!", "secretMessage");

      var generator = new Pkcs5S2ParametersGenerator();

      //Use Random Salt to minimize pre-generated weak password attacks.
      var salt = new byte[SaltBitSize / 8];
      Random.NextBytes(salt);

      generator.Init(
        PbeParametersGenerator.Pkcs5PasswordToBytes(password.ToCharArray()),
        salt,
        Iterations);

      //Generate Key
      var key = (KeyParameter)generator.GenerateDerivedMacParameters(KeyBitSize);

      //Create Full Non Secret Payload
      var payload = new byte[salt.Length + nonSecretPayload.Length];
      Array.Copy(nonSecretPayload, payload, nonSecretPayload.Length);
      Array.Copy(salt,0, payload,nonSecretPayload.Length, salt.Length);

      return SimpleEncrypt(secretMessage, key.GetKey(), payload);
    }

    public static byte[] SimpleDecryptWithPassword(byte[] encryptedMessage, string password, int nonSecretPayloadLength = 0)
    {
      //User Error Checks
      if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(password) || password.Length < MinPasswordLength)
        throw new ArgumentException(String.Format("Must have a password of at least {0} characters!", MinPasswordLength), "password");

      if (encryptedMessage == null || encryptedMessage.Length == 0)
        throw new ArgumentException("Encrypted Message Required!", "encryptedMessage");

      var generator = new Pkcs5S2ParametersGenerator();

      //Grab Salt from Payload
      var salt = new byte[SaltBitSize / 8];
      Array.Copy(encryptedMessage, nonSecretPayloadLength, salt, 0, salt.Length);

      generator.Init(
        PbeParametersGenerator.Pkcs5PasswordToBytes(password.ToCharArray()),
        salt,
        Iterations);

      //Generate Key
      var key = (KeyParameter)generator.GenerateDerivedMacParameters(KeyBitSize);

      return SimpleDecrypt(encryptedMessage, key.GetKey(), salt.Length + nonSecretPayloadLength);
    }
  }
}