Crypt::Eksblowfish::Family(3pm) User Contributed Perl Documentation Crypt::Eksblowfish::Family(3pm)
NAME
Crypt::Eksblowfish::Family - Eksblowfish cipher family
SYNOPSIS
use Crypt::Eksblowfish::Family;
$family = Crypt::Eksblowfish::Family->new_family(8, $salt);
$cost = $family->cost;
$salt = $family->salt;
$block_size = $family->blocksize;
$key_size = $family->keysize;
$cipher = $family->new($key);
DESCRIPTION
An object of this class represents an Eksblowfish cipher family. It contains the family parameters (cost and salt), and if combined with a
key it yields an encryption function. See Crypt::Eksblowfish for discussion of the Eksblowfish algorithm.
It is intended that an object of this class can be used in situations such as the "-cipher" parameter to "Crypt::CBC". Normally that
parameter is the name of a class, such as "Crypt::Rijndael", where the class implements a block cipher algorithm. The class provides a
"new" constructor that accepts a key. In the case of Eksblowfish, the key alone is not sufficient. An Eksblowfish family fills the role
of block cipher algorithm. Therefore a family object is used in place of a class name, and it is the family object the provides the "new"
constructor.
Crypt::CBC
"Crypt::CBC" itself has a problem, with the result that this class can no longer be used with it in the manner originally intended.
When this class was originally designed, it worked with "Crypt::CBC" as described above: an object of this class would be accepted by
"Crypt::CBC" as a cipher algorithm, and "Crypt::CBC" would happily supply it with a key and encrypt using the resulting cipher object.
"Crypt::CBC" didn't realise it was dealing with a family object, however, and there was some risk that a future version might accidentally
squash the object into a string, which would be no use. In the course of discussion about regularising the use of cipher family objects,
the author of "Crypt::CBC" got hold of the wrong end of the stick, and ended up changing "Crypt::CBC" in a way that totally breaks this
usage, rather than putting it on a secure footing.
The present behaviour of "Crypt::CBC" is that if an object (rather than a class name) is supplied as the "-cipher" parameter then it has a
completely different meaning from usual. In this case, the object supplied is used as the keyed cipher, rather than as a cipher algorithm
which must be given a key. This bypasses all of "Crypt::CBC"'s usual keying logic, which can hash and salt a passphrase to generate the
key. It is arguably a useful feature, but it's a gross abuse of the "-cipher" parameter and a severe impediment to the use of family-keyed
cipher algorithms.
This class now provides a workaround. For the benefit of "Crypt::CBC", and any other crypto plumbing that requires a keyable cipher
algorithm to look like a Perl class (rather than an object), a family object of this class can in fact be reified as a class of its own.
See the method "as_class".
CONSTRUCTOR
Crypt::Eksblowfish::Family->new_family(COST, SALT)
Creates and returns an object representing the Eksblowfish cipher family specified by the parameters. The SALT is a family key, and
must be exactly 16 octets. COST is an integer parameter controlling the expense of keying: the number of operations in key setup is
proportional to 2^COST.
METHODS
$family->cost
Extracts and returns the cost parameter.
$family->salt
Extracts and returns the salt parameter.
$family->blocksize
Returns 8, indicating the Eksblowfish block size of 8 octets.
$family->keysize
Returns 0, indicating that the key size is variable. This situation is handled specially by "Crypt::CBC".
$family->new(KEY)
Performs key setup on a new instance of the Eksblowfish algorithm, returning the keyed state. The KEY may be any length from 1 octet
to 72 octets inclusive. The object returned is of class "Crypt::Eksblowfish"; see Crypt::Eksblowfish for the encryption and decryption
methods.
Note that this method is called on a family object, not on the class "Crypt::Eksblowfish::Family".
$family->encrypt
This method nominally exists, to satisfy "Crypt::CBC". It can't really be used: it doesn't make any sense.
$family->as_class
Generates and returns (the name of) a Perl class that behaves as a keyable cipher algorithm identical to this Eksblowfish cipher
family. The same methods that can be called as instance methods on $family can be called as class methods on the generated class.
You should prefer to use the family object directly wherever you can. Aside from being a silly indirection, the classes generated by
this method cannot be garbage-collected. This method exists only to cater to "Crypt::CBC", which requires a keyable cipher algorithm
to look like a Perl class, and won't operate correctly on one that looks like an object.
SEE ALSO
Crypt::CBC, Crypt::Eksblowfish
AUTHOR
Andrew Main (Zefram) <zefram@fysh.org>
COPYRIGHT
Copyright (C) 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Andrew Main (Zefram) <zefram@fysh.org>
LICENSE
This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.
perl v5.14.2 2011-11-15 Crypt::Eksblowfish::Family(3pm)