.TH LIBAR2_ERASE 3 LIBAR2
.SH NAME
libar2_erase - Securily erase memory

.SH SYNOPSIS
.nf
#include <libar2.h>

void libar2_erase(volatile void *\fImem\fP, size_t \fIsize\fP);
.fi
.PP
Link with
.IR -lar2 .

.SH DESCRIPTION
The
.BR libar2_erase ()
function writes the number of bytes
specified in the
.I size
parameter to the buffer specified in the
.I mem
parameter. Unlike functions like
.BR bzero (3)
and
.BR memset (3),
the compiler should not be able to optimise
away a call to the
.BR libar2_erase ()
function, even if link-time optimisation
is enabled, and is thus recommended for
wiping passwords from memory after they
have been hashed.
.PP
.I mem
may only be
.I NULL
if
.I size
is 0.

.SH RETURN VALUES
None.

.SH ERRORS
The
.BR libar2_erase ()
function cannot fail.

.SH NOTES
Depending on the compiler used to compile
the library, the
.BR libar2_erase ()
may be weakly linked so that it can be
replaced by the application.

.SH SEE ALSO
.BR libar2 (7)