Password masking in C# console application

gistfile1.cs

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the console secure password.
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns></returns>
        private static SecureString GetConsoleSecurePassword( )
        {
            SecureString pwd = new SecureString( );
            while ( true )
            {
                ConsoleKeyInfo i = Console.ReadKey( true );
                if ( i.Key == ConsoleKey.Enter )
                {
                    break;
                }
                else if ( i.Key == ConsoleKey.Backspace )
                {
                    pwd.RemoveAt( pwd.Length - 1 );
                    Console.Write( "\b \b" );
                }
                else
                {
                    pwd.AppendChar( i.KeyChar );
                    Console.Write( "*" );
                }
            }
            return pwd;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the console password.
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns></returns>
        private static string GetConsolePassword( )
        {
            StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder( );
            while ( true )
            {
                ConsoleKeyInfo cki = Console.ReadKey( true );
                if ( cki.Key == ConsoleKey.Enter )
                {
                    Console.WriteLine( );
                    break;
                }

                if ( cki.Key == ConsoleKey.Backspace )
                {
                    if ( sb.Length > 0 )
                    {
                        Console.Write( "\b\0\b" );
                        sb.Length--;
                    }

                    continue;
                }

                Console.Write( '*' );
                sb.Append( cki.KeyChar );
            }

            return sb.ToString( );
        }

Thanks alot. Your awesome

There's a serious bug here!

See, if you press any special key (e.g. Win button, Volume+/- buttons...) it will still get intercepted resulting in a screwed up password.

UPD: There's actually a quite simple fix for that. Simply check if (char.IsControl(i.KeyChar)) before appending a character. Bingo!

First, thank you for your time and sharing this code.

I will like to add this to your code:

else if (i.Key == ConsoleKey.Backspace)
{
    //Prevent an exception when you hit backspace with no characters on the array.
    if (pwd.Length>0)
    {
        pwd.RemoveAt(pwd.Length - 1);
        Console.Write("\b \b");
    }
}

and

 if (!char.IsControl(i.KeyChar))

Thanx, very nice.

Super usefull. Works like a charm!