NAME

       Crypt::Blowfish - Perl Blowfish encryption module

SYNOPSIS

         use Crypt::Blowfish;
         my $cipher = new Crypt::Blowfish $key;
         my $ciphertext = $cipher->encrypt($plaintext);
         my $plaintext  = $cipher->decrypt($ciphertext);

         You probably want to use this in conjunction with
         a block chaining module like Crypt::CBC.

DESCRIPTION

       Blowfish is capable of strong encryption and can use key sizes up to 56 bytes (a 448 bit key).  You're
       encouraged to take advantage of the full key size to ensure the strongest encryption possible from this
       module.

       Crypt::Blowfish has the following methods:

        blocksize()
        keysize()
        encrypt()
        decrypt()

FUNCTIONS

       blocksize
           Returns the size (in bytes) of the block cipher.

           Crypt::Blowfish  doesn't  return  a  key  size  due to its ability to use variable-length keys.  More
           accurately, it shouldn't, but it does anyway to play nicely with others.

       new
                   my $cipher = new Crypt::Blowfish $key;

           This creates a new Crypt::Blowfish BlockCipher object, using $key, where $key is a key of "keysize()"
           bytes (minimum of eight bytes).

       encrypt
                   my $cipher = new Crypt::Blowfish $key;
                   my $ciphertext = $cipher->encrypt($plaintext);

           This function encrypts $plaintext and returns the $ciphertext where $plaintext and  $ciphertext  must
           be of "blocksize()" bytes.  (hint:  Blowfish is an 8 byte block cipher)

       decrypt
                   my $cipher = new Crypt::Blowfish $key;
                   my $plaintext = $cipher->decrypt($ciphertext);

           This  function  decrypts $ciphertext and returns the $plaintext where $plaintext and $ciphertext must
           be of "blocksize()" bytes.  (hint:  see previous hint)

EXAMPLE

               my $key = pack("H16", "0123456789ABCDEF");  # min. 8 bytes
               my $cipher = new Crypt::Blowfish $key;
               my $ciphertext = $cipher->encrypt("plaintex");  # SEE NOTES
               print unpack("H16", $ciphertext), "\n";

PLATFORMS

               Please see the README document for platforms and performance
               tests.

NOTES

       The module is capable of being  used  with  Crypt::CBC.   You're  encouraged  to  read  the  perldoc  for
       Crypt::CBC  if  you  intend to use this module for Cipher Block Chaining modes.  In fact, if you have any
       intentions of encrypting more than eight bytes of data with this, or any other block cipher, you're going
       to need some type of block chaining help.  Crypt::CBC tends to be very good at this.  If you're not going
       to encrypt more than eight bytes, your data must be exactly eight bytes long.  If need be,  do  your  own
       padding. "\0" as a null byte is perfectly valid to use for this.

SEE ALSO

       Crypt::CBC, Crypt::DES, Crypt::IDEA

       Bruce Schneier, Applied Cryptography, 1995, Second Edition, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

COPYRIGHT

       The implementation of the Blowfish algorithm was developed by, and is copyright of, A.M. Kuchling.

       Other  parts  of the perl extension and module are copyright of Systemics Ltd ( http://www.systemics.com/
       ).

       Code revisions, updates, and standalone release are copyright 1999-2010 W3Works, LLC.

AUTHOR

       Original  algorithm,  Bruce  Shneier.   Original   implementation,   A.M.    Kuchling.    Original   Perl
       implementation, Systemics Ltd.  Current maintenance by W3Works, LLC.

       Current revision and maintainer:  Dave Paris <amused@pobox.com>

perl v5.34.0                                       2022-02-06                                      Blowfish(3pm)