From: pgut01@cs.auckland.ac.nz (Peter Gutmann)
Newsgroups: alt.security,comp.security.misc,sci.crypt
Subject: cryptl99.zip Free encryption library for DOS/UNIX/Windows
Date: 20 Nov 1995 09:57:45 GMT
Organization: University of Auckland
Sender: pgut01@cs.auckland.ac.nz (Peter Gutmann)
Message-ID: <48pjep$7ge@net.auckland.ac.nz>
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs26.cs.auckland.ac.nz
X-Newsreader: NN version 6.5.0 #3 (NOV)
Xref: news.lut.fi alt.security:31093 comp.security.misc:23319 sci.crypt:42403




[This was announced a few days ago, I've reposted it to a few crypto and 
 security groups for people who don't read the archives groups]
 
File name: ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/security/cryptl99.zip
One line description: Free encryption library for Unix/DOS/Windows
 
This encryption library provides a universal interface to a number of 
conventional-key encryption algorithms.  The library currently supports 
encryption algorithms and modes of MDC/SHS CFB, DES ECB, CBC, CFB, OFB, PCBC, 
triple DES ECB, CBC, CFB, OFB, IDEA ECB, CBC, CFB, OFB, RC4, SAFER ECB, CBC, 
CFB, OFB, and SAFER-SK ECB, CBC, CFB, OFB.  All encryption routines are 
accessed through a single standardised interface with parameters such as 
algorithm, mode and key size being selectable by the user.  The library is 
supplied as source code for Unix, DOS, and the Amiga, and as dynamic link 
libraries for Windows and Windows NT.
 
The design goal for the library was to create an easy-to-use, standardised 
interface to a number of popular encryption algorithms.  Like the standard C 
file I/O libraries which work with FILE objects, this library works with an 
"encryption context" of type CRYPT_INFO.  To encrypt data, you create an 
encryption context, load a user key into it, en/decrypt data, and destroy it 
when you've finished.  This concept lends itself to implementation either as a 
C++ class or as C routines.
 
The library has been written to be as idiot-proof as possible.  On 
initialization it performs extensive self-testing against test data from 
encryption standards documents, and the API's check each parameter and 
function call for errors before any actions are performed, with error 
reporting down to the level of individual parameters.
 
The library API serves as an interface to a range of plug-in encryption 
modules which allow encryption algorithms to be added in a fairly transparent 
manner.  The standardised API allows any of the algorithms and modes supported 
by the library to be used with a minimum of coding effort.  As such the main 
function of the library is to provide a standard, portable, easy-to-use 
interface between the underlying encryption routines and the user software.
 
All code is plain ANSI C, with no machine or OS-specific functions or calls 
being used.
 
Peter.