vb net code snippets for storing password

/// 


    /// Encrypts a given password and returns the encrypted data

    /// as a base64 string.

    /// 
    /// An unencrypted string that needs

    /// to be secured.
    /// A base64 encoded string that represents the encrypted

    /// binary data.

    /// 

    /// This solution is not really secure as we are

    /// keeping strings in memory. If runtime protection is essential,

    ///  should be used.

    /// If 
    /// is a null reference.

    public string Encrypt(string plainText)

    {

        if (plainText == null) throw new ArgumentNullException(“plainText”);
        //encrypt data

        var data = Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(plainText);

        byte[] encrypted = ProtectedData.Protect(data, null, Scope);
        //return as base64 string

        return Convert.ToBase64String(encrypted);

    }
    /// 

    /// Decrypts a given string.

    /// 
    /// A base64 encoded string that was created

    /// through the  or

    ///  extension methods.
    /// The decrypted string.

    /// Keep in mind that the decrypted string remains in memory

    /// and makes your application vulnerable per se. If runtime protection

    /// is essential,  should be used.

    /// If 
    /// is a null reference.

    public string Decrypt(string cipher)

    {

        if (cipher == null) throw new ArgumentNullException(“cipher”);
        //parse base64 string

        byte[] data = Convert.FromBase64String(cipher);
        //decrypt data

        byte[] decrypted = ProtectedData.Unprotect(data, null, Scope);

        return Encoding.Unicode.GetString(decrypted);

    }