openssl/doc/crypto/rc4.pod

=pod

=head1 NAME

RC4_set_key, RC4 - RC4 encryption

=head1 SYNOPSIS

 #include <openssl/rc4.h>

 void RC4_set_key(RC4_KEY *key, int len, const unsigned char *data);

 void RC4(RC4_KEY *key, unsigned long len, const unsigned char *indata,
          unsigned char *outdata);

=head1 DESCRIPTION

This library implements the Alleged RC4 cipher, which is described for
example in I<Applied Cryptography>.  It is believed to be compatible
with RC4[TM], a proprietary cipher of RSA Security Inc.

RC4 is a stream cipher with variable key length.  Typically, 128 bit
(16 byte) keys are used for strong encryption, but shorter insecure
key sizes have been widely used due to export restrictions.

RC4 consists of a key setup phase and the actual encryption or
decryption phase.

RC4_set_key() sets up the B<RC4_KEY> B<key> using the B<len> bytes long
key at B<data>.

RC4() encrypts or decrypts the B<len> bytes of data at B<indata> using
B<key> and places the result at B<outdata>.  Repeated RC4() calls with
the same B<key> yield a continuous key stream.

Since RC4 is a stream cipher (the input is XORed with a pseudo-random
key stream to produce the output), decryption uses the same function
calls as encryption.

=head1 RETURN VALUES

RC4_set_key() and RC4() do not return values.

=head1 NOTE

Applications should use the higher level functions
L<EVP_EncryptInit(3)|EVP_EncryptInit(3)> etc. instead of calling these
functions directly.

It is difficult to securely use stream ciphers. For example, do not perform
multiple encryptions using the same key stream.

=head1 HISTORY

RC4_set_key() and RC4() are available in all versions of SSLeay and OpenSSL.

=head1 SEE ALSO

L<EVP_EncryptInit(3)|EVP_EncryptInit(3)>

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