libcanlock(3)

📦
version 3.3.3 · 3 versions
, in epel 10

🌸 libcanlock(3) — the cl_clear_secret glow-up 💅

okay bestie, so we're deep in libcanlock 3.3.3 territory and this page is all about wiping secrets out of memory like the FBI is at the door 🕵️‍♀️✨ Strap in.

✨ NAME ✨

cl_clear_secret — overwrites secret data in memory, using libcanlock 🫶

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

#include <libcanlock-3/canlock.h>

int cl_clear_secret(void *sec, size_t sec_size,
                    size_t buf_size);

like, that's the whole vibe. two size_t's and a void pointer, no cap 💀

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

so the cl_clear_secret() function tries to overwrite sec_size bytes of memory, starting at whatever address sec points to. it's giving "shred the evidence" energy 🔥

here's the catch tho — buf_size must be set to the size of the whole buffer. don't skip that, fr fr, it's literally required.

and now for the ✨implementation drama✨ (this part is super important, bestie, pay attention):

  • the C standard provides memset_explicit() since C23. that one is preferred, if available. it's the main character 👑
  • the C standard provides memset_s() since C11, but only in the optional Annex K. it gets called with both length values, if available.
  • otherwise, nonportable functions like NetBSD explicit_memset() get used, if available.
  • and if nothing better is available? we fall back to a plain call to memset() instead. 🙈
⚠️ okay this is the scary bit: with that memset() fallback, the compiler may translate this attempt to NOP — like, it might just... not do it 😭. In that case, a positive value is returned as a warning. so like, check your return values, bestie!!

⭐ RETURN VALUE ⭐

  • 0 — success, we ate, everything worked 💅
  • negative values — error. it's giving "something went wrong"
  • positive values — warning. like, "technically fine but look out"

the value -1 is returned if the parameter sec is NULL, or if sec_size is greater than buf_size 🚩

the value 1 indicates missing support for explicit memory access from the system 😬

🦋 AUTHORS 🦋

Michael Baeuerle 🌟 (the icon behind it all)

🌈 REPORTING BUGS 🌈

found a bug? don't be shy, report it to <mailto:michael.baeuerle@gmx.net> 💌

🧚 STANDARDS 🧚

libcanlock tries to comply with the following standards, and honestly? we stan the effort:

💜 SEE ALSO 💜

and that's the whole page, bestie!! 🍓 the manual itself is dated 2026-07-06 and comes from the Unix manual set, from libcanlock 3.3.3 — go forth and clear those secrets 💖🎀✨

📦 where this page comes from