# pemData The original PEM bytes as supplied to [`init(pemRepresentation:)`](/documentation/OpenSSL/RSA/PrivateKey/init(pemRepresentation:)). ``` var pemData: Data { get } ``` ## Return Value A `Data` containing the original PEM bytes in UTF-8. Use it for persistence, transport to an HSM, or future provider-backed signing APIs. ## Discussion Returns the UTF-8 encoding of the input string verbatim — not a re-serialized PEM, and not a DER blob. This is the form expected by keychain imports, HSM shims, and on-disk key storage formats that treat the PEM text as an opaque transport envelope. Because the storage is the user-provided input, header comments and vendor annotations outside the `BEGIN`/ `END` markers are preserved round-trip. > Important: The returned bytes contain private-key material. > Never log this value, never include it in crash reports or > analytics, and zero any backing buffer you copy it into > before releasing the memory. Foundation’s `Data` does not > zeroize on deinit.