@node explicit_bzero @subsection @code{explicit_bzero} @findex explicit_bzero Documentation: @itemize @item @ifinfo @ref{Erasing Sensitive Data,,Erasing Sensitive Data,libc}, @end ifinfo @ifnotinfo @url{https://www.gnu.org/software/libc/manual/html_node/Erasing-Sensitive-Data.html}, @end ifnotinfo @item @uref{https://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/online/pages/man3/explicit_bzero.3.html,,man explicit_bzero}. @end itemize Gnulib module: explicit_bzero The @code{explicit_bzero} function is an approximation to what is needed, and does not suffice in general to erase information. Although calling @code{explicit_bzero} should clear the memory in question, the information that was in memory may still be available elsewhere on the machine. Proper implementation of information erasure requires support from levels below C code. Portability problems fixed by Gnulib: @itemize @item This function is missing on some platforms: glibc 2.24, FreeBSD 10, NetBSD 7.1, OpenBSD 5.4, macOS 10.12, Solaris 11.4, Android 9.0, and many other systems. @end itemize Portability problems not fixed by Gnulib: @itemize @item Although the module's implementation should clear the memory on platforms compatible with GCC and on platforms using traditional linkers, it may not clear the memory on non-GCC platforms that use whole-program optimization. @end itemize