md4(3) - NetBSD Manual Pages

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MD4(3)                  NetBSD Library Functions Manual                 MD4(3)


NAME

     MD4Init, MD4Update, MD4Final, MD4End, MD4File, MD4Data -- calculate the
     RSA Data Security, Inc., ``MD4'' message digest


LIBRARY

     Standard C Library (libc, -lc)


SYNOPSIS

     #include <sys/types.h>
     #include <md4.h>

     void
     MD4Init(MD4_CTX *context);

     void
     MD4Update(MD4_CTX *context, const unsigned char *data, unsigned int len);

     void
     MD4Final(unsigned char digest[16], MD4_CTX *context);

     char *
     MD4End(MD4_CTX *context, char *buf);

     char *
     MD4File(const char *filename, char *buf);

     char *
     MD4Data(const unsigned char *data, unsigned int len, char *buf);


DESCRIPTION

     The MD4 functions calculate a 128-bit cryptographic checksum (digest) for
     any number of input bytes.  A cryptographic checksum is a one-way hash-
     function, that is, you cannot find (except by exhaustive search) the
     input corresponding to a particular output.  This net result is a ``fin-
     gerprint'' of the input-data, which doesn't disclose the actual input.

     MD2 is the slowest, MD4 is the fastest and MD5 is somewhere in the mid-
     dle.  MD2 can only be used for Privacy-Enhanced Mail.  MD4 has been crit-
     icized for being too weak, so MD5 was developed in response as ``MD4 with
     safety-belts''.  When in doubt, use MD5.

     The MD4Init(), MD4Update(), and MD4Final() functions are the core func-
     tions.  Allocate an MD4_CTX, initialize it with MD4Init(), run over the
     data with MD4Update(), and finally extract the result using MD4Final().

     MD4End() is a wrapper for MD4Final() which converts the return value to a
     33-character (including the terminating '\0') ASCII string which repre-
     sents the 128 bits in hexadecimal.

     MD4File() calculates the digest of a file, and uses MD4End() to return
     the result.  If the file cannot be opened, a null pointer is returned.
     MD4Data() calculates the digest of a chunk of data in memory, and uses
     MD4End() to return the result.

     When using MD4End(), MD4File(), or MD4Data(), the buf argument can be a
     null pointer, in which case the returned string is allocated with
     malloc(3) and subsequently must be explicitly deallocated using free(3)
     after use.  If the buf argument is non-null it must point to at least 33
     characters of buffer space.


SEE ALSO

     md2(3), md4(3), md5(3)

     B. Kaliski, The MD2 Message-Digest Algorithm, RFC 1319.

     R. Rivest, The MD4 Message-Digest Algorithm, RFC 1186.

     R. Rivest, The MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm, RFC 1321.

     RSA Laboratories, Frequently Asked Questions About today's Cryptography.


HISTORY

     These functions appeared in NetBSD 1.3.


AUTHORS

     The original MD4 routines were developed by RSA Data Security, Inc., and
     published in the above references.  This code is derived directly from
     these implementations by Poul-Henning Kamp <phk@login.dkuug.dk>

     Phk ristede runen.


BUGS

     No method is known to exist which finds two files having the same hash
     value, nor to find a file with a specific hash value.  There is on the
     other hand no guarantee that such a method doesn't exist.


COPYRIGHT

     Copyright (C) 1991-2, RSA Data Security, Inc. Created 1991. All rights
     reserved.

     License to copy and use this software is granted provided that it is
     identified as the "RSA Data Security, Inc. MD4 Message-Digest Algorithm"
     in all material mentioning or referencing this software or this function.
     License is also granted to make and use derivative works provided that
     such works are identified as "derived from the RSA Data Security, Inc.
     MD4 Message-Digest Algorithm" in all material mentioning or referencing
     the derived work.

     RSA Data Security, Inc. makes no representations concerning either the
     merchantability of this software or the suitability of this software for
     any particular purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or implied
     warranty of any kind.

     These notices must be retained in any copies of any part of this documen-
     tation and/or software.

NetBSD 5.0                       June 13, 2003                      NetBSD 5.0