Question

My app connects to my server using mutual authentification, so I have a .p12 file containing a certificate. Everything works the way it is supposed to, but when I’m profiling my app using Instruments, it detects a memory leak on this line :

if([challenge.protectionSpace.authenticationMethod isEqualToString:NSURLAuthenticationMethodClientCertificate]){

    NSData* p12data = [NSData dataWithContentsOfFile:[[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"client" ofType:@"p12"]];

    CFArrayRef itemsCFArray = nil;

    NSDictionary* dico = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:@"password",kSecImportExportPassphrase, nil];
    // MEMORY LEAK just below
    OSStatus check = SecPKCS12Import((__bridge CFDataRef)p12data, (__bridge CFDictionaryRef)dico, &itemsCFArray); 

    if(check != noErr){
        NSLog(@"Error importing PKCS");
    }

    NSArray* items = (__bridge NSArray*)itemsCFArray;


    SecIdentityRef identityRef = (__bridge SecIdentityRef)[[items objectAtIndex:0] objectForKey:(__bridge id)kSecImportItemIdentity];

    NSURLCredential* credential = [NSURLCredential credentialWithIdentity:identityRef certificates:nil persistence:NSURLCredentialPersistenceNone];

    [challenge.sender useCredential:credential forAuthenticationChallenge:challenge];

}

I’ve tried to use a CFDictionaryRef instead, but it does not resolve the error.

I found someone with the same problem, but his solution is ios4, and i’m using ios5 (Actually, I’m already doing the same thing) : http://www.ipup.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2855 (in french, sorry)

How can I resolve this ? Will Apple reject my app because of this memory leak ?

Answer 1

I don’t think the issue is with the dictionary, itemsCFArray is what appears to be getting leaked. SecPKCS12Import passes back a CF reference to itemsCFArray, which you will need to CFRelease when you are done using the objects in it.

Try calling CFRelease(itemsCFArray) after creating the credential.