[openssl-users] EVP_SealInit question

[Jakob Bohm]

There are (generally) 3 kinds of asymmetric cryptographic algorithms:

1. Signature algorithms, such as DSS, ECDSS, Ed255, and 3 modes of the 
RSA algorithm.

2. Key exchange/generation algorithms such as DH, ECDH and SRP.

3. Key encryption algorithms, such as 2 other modes of the RSA algorithm.

EVP_SealInit() is a function to invoke key encryption algorithms with a 
brand new random key.

On 16/08/2016 02:38, Norm Green wrote:
> Sorry, I'm still not quite getting it.
>
> It sounds like you're saying that only RSA supports encrypting with a 
> public key.  But can't any asymmetric encryption algorithm encrypt 
> using the public key?  Why is RSA special in this regard?
>
> Norm Green
>
> On 8/15/2016 5:31 PM, Dr. Stephen Henson wrote:
>> On Mon, Aug 15, 2016, Norm Green wrote:
>>
>>> Ok, thanks.
>>>
>>> What I don't understand is what key transport has to do with
>>> EV_SealInit() ?  Why is key transport important here ?
>>>
>> Because EVP_SealInit() generates a random symmetric key and encrypts 
>> it using
>> one or more public keys. For this to work the public key algorithm 
>> has to
>> support encryption of the symmetric key using a public key aka key 
>> transport.
>>
>> Of the public key algorithms OpenSSL currently implements only RSA 
>> has that
>> operation.
>>

Enjoy

Jakob
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Jakob Bohm, CIO, Partner, WiseMo A/S.  https://www.wisemo.com
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