Javax.security package ?? Key

Question

Hi..
It's my first time to mess around with the
javax.crypto package. this is what i've done till now..
/CODE/
import java.security.AlgorithmParameters;
import javax.crypto.*;
try
Cipher cipher = Cipher.getInstance("DES");
cipher.init(Cipher.ENCRYPT_MODE, ---------);
catch(NoSuchPaddingException Padding_ex)
catch(java.security.NoSuchAlgorithmException Algo_ex)
/CODE/
Now while initializing the Cipher object what should be put in the Key parameter ???
Do i have to create one, a key generator, and if yes how ?? I'm doing this for the purpose of encrypting a String that iv'e entered then decrypt it ...

Answer 1

you need to create a Key first i.e
so in the method you will pass key of type SecretKey
Create a key and store it in a file as below
==================================
Provider sunJce = new com.sun.crypto.provider.SunJCE();
Security.addProvider(sunJce);
//create key generator
KeyGenerator generator = KeyGenerator.getInstance(keyType);
generator.init(168, new SecureRandom()); //using 168 bit keys; key size must be either 112 or 168
//generate key
Key key = generator.generateKey();
//write key to file
ObjectOutputStream outStream = new ObjectOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(workingFile.getCanonicalPath()));
outStream.writeObject(key);
outStream.close();