Shared Function EncryptStringToBytes_Aes(ByVal plainText As String, ByVal Key() As Byte, ByVal IV() As Byte) As Byte()
    ' Check arguments.
    If plainText Is Nothing OrElse plainText.Length <= 0 Then
        Throw New ArgumentNullException("plainText")
    End If
    If Key Is Nothing OrElse Key.Length <= 0 Then
        Throw New ArgumentNullException("Key")
    End If
    If IV Is Nothing OrElse IV.Length <= 0 Then
        Throw New ArgumentNullException("IV")
    End If
    Dim encrypted() As Byte
    
    ' Create an AesManaged object
    ' with the specified key and IV.
    Using aesAlg As New AesManaged()

        aesAlg.Key = Key
        aesAlg.IV = IV

        ' Create an encryptor to perform the stream transform.
        Dim encryptor As ICryptoTransform = aesAlg.CreateEncryptor(aesAlg.Key, aesAlg.IV)
        ' Create the streams used for encryption.
        Using msEncrypt As New MemoryStream()
            Using csEncrypt As New CryptoStream(msEncrypt, encryptor, CryptoStreamMode.Write)
                Using swEncrypt As New StreamWriter(csEncrypt)
                    'Write all data to the stream.
                    swEncrypt.Write(plainText)
                End Using
                encrypted = msEncrypt.ToArray()
            End Using
        End Using
    End Using

    ' Return the encrypted bytes from the memory stream.
    Return encrypted

End Function 'EncryptStringToBytes_Aes