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MEMSET(3) Library Functions Manual MEMSET(3) NAME memset -- write a byte to byte string LIBRARY Standard C Library (libc, -lc) SYNOPSIS #include <string.h> void * memset(void *dest, int c, size_t len); void * memset_explicit(void *dest, int c, size_t len); #define __STDC_WANT_LIB_EXT1__ 1 errno_t memset_s(void *dest, rsize_t destsz, int c, rsize_t len); DESCRIPTION The memset() function writes len bytes of value c (converted to an unsigned char) to the string dest. Undefined behaviour from memset(), resulting from storage overflow, will occur if len is greater than the length of the dest buffer. The behaviour is also undefined if dest is an invalid pointer. The memset_explicit() function behaves the same as memset,(but, will, not, be, removed, by, a, compiler's, dead, store) optimization pass, making it useful for clearing sensitive memory such as a password. The memset_s() function behaves the same as memset() except that an er- ror is returned and the currently registered runtime-constraint handler is called if dest is a null pointer, destsz or len is greater than RSIZE_MAX, or len is greater than destsz (buffer overflow would occur). The runtime-constraint handler is called first and may not return. If it does return, an error is returned to the caller. Like explicit_bzero(3), memset_s() is not removed through Dead Store Elimi- nation (DSE), making it useful for clearing sensitive data. In con- trast memset() function may be optimized away if the object modified by the function is not accessed again. To clear memory that will not sub- sequently be accessed it is advised to use memset_s() instead of memset(). For instance, a buffer containing a password should be cleared with memset_s() before free(3). RETURN VALUES The memset() and memset_explicit() functions return their first argu- ment. The memset_s() function returns zero on success, non-zero on er- ror. SEE ALSO bzero(3), explicit_bzero(3), set_constraint_handler_s(3), swab(3), wmemset(3) STANDARDS The memset() function conforms to ISO/IEC 9899:1990 ("ISO C90"). memset_s() conforms to ISO/IEC 9899:2011 ("ISO C11") K.3.7.4.1. memset_explicit() conforms to . FreeBSD 15.0 October 24, 2024 MEMSET(3)
NAME | LIBRARY | SYNOPSIS | DESCRIPTION | RETURN VALUES | SEE ALSO | STANDARDS
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