// Use reflection to verify the constant-time method exists
        Method constantTimeMethod = NtlmPasswordAuthenticator.class.getDeclaredMethod("constantTimeEquals", char[].class, char[].class);
        assertNotNull(constantTimeMethod, "constantTimeEquals method should exist");
        constantTimeMethod.setAccessible(true);

        // Test the method directly
        char[] password1 = "testpassword".toCharArray();

     *
     * @param a first char array to compare
     * @param b second char array to compare
     * @return true if arrays are equal, false otherwise
     */
    private static boolean constantTimeEquals(char[] a, char[] b) {
        if (a == null && b == null) {
            return true;
        }
        if (a == null || b == null) {
            return false;
        }