Techniques for obscuring sensitive strings in C++

Question

I need to store sensitive information (a symmetric encryption key that I want to keep private) in my C++ application. The simple approach is to do this:

std::         


        

Answer 1

I agree with @Checkers, your executable can be reverse-engineered.

A bit better way is to create it dynamically, for example:

std::string myKey = part1() + part2() + ... + partN();