How do I build libtomcrypt with CMake?

Clone the repository, create a build directory, run 'cmake ..' and then 'make'. More details are in the developer documentation PDF included in release tarballs, as referenced in the README's CMake support section.

Is libtomcrypt better than OpenSSL for embedded systems?

LibTomCrypt is more modular and lightweight, allowing compile-time optimization for size, while OpenSSL offers more features and community support. For resource-constrained embedded projects, LibTomCrypt is often preferred due to its configurability.

How to enable AES-NI support in libtomcrypt?

Add '-DLTC_AES_NI' to your CFLAGS when building, as shown in the examples section of the README. This leverages hardware acceleration for AES operations to improve performance.

Does libtomcrypt support elliptic curve cryptography?

The README doesn't explicitly list ECC, but it supports public key cryptography; check the documentation or source code for specific algorithm inclusion, which may vary based on compile-time configuration.

Can I use libtomcrypt on Windows without MinGW?

Yes, there are makefiles for MSVC and Visual Studio projects provided, such as libtomcrypt_VS2008.sln, for native Windows development, as mentioned in the building the library table.

How to install libtomcrypt to a custom directory?

Use 'make install' with variables like PREFIX and DESTDIR, as described in the Installation section, to specify non-default paths for library and header files, with examples provided for different makefiles.

Open-Awesome

LibTomCrypt

NOASSERTIONCv1.18.2

A comprehensive, modular, and portable cryptographic toolkit providing block ciphers, hash functions, PRNGs, public key cryptography, and more.

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What is LibTomCrypt?

LibTomCrypt is a comprehensive cryptographic toolkit written in C that provides developers with a vast array of well-known cryptographic algorithms including block ciphers, one-way hash functions, chaining modes, pseudo-random number generators, and public key cryptography. It solves the problem of needing a portable, modular, and self-contained cryptographic library for applications ranging from embedded systems to desktop software.

Target Audience

C developers working on projects requiring cryptographic functionality, especially those targeting embedded systems, cross-platform applications, or environments where modularity and portability are critical.

Value Proposition

Developers choose LibTomCrypt for its modular design that allows trimming down functionality, excellent portability across platforms, support for multiple math libraries, and a clean, well-documented codebase that's easier to audit and integrate than larger alternatives.

Overview

LibTomCrypt is a fairly comprehensive, modular and portable cryptographic toolkit that provides developers with a vast array of well known published block ciphers, one-way hash functions, chaining modes, pseudo-random number generators, public key cryptography and a plethora of other routines.

Use Cases

Best For

Embedded systems requiring cryptographic functionality with minimal footprint
Cross-platform applications needing consistent crypto across different operating systems
Educational projects studying cryptographic algorithm implementations
Custom applications where specific cryptographic primitives must be selectively enabled
Projects needing to switch between different big integer math libraries (GMP, libtommath, tomsfastmath)
Security tools requiring self-contained cryptographic testing and timing utilities

Not Ideal For

Projects needing high-level cryptographic protocols like TLS/SSL without additional implementation
Teams requiring extensive online documentation and tutorials for quick onboarding
Applications where stable binary compatibility is critical due to frequent dependency updates
Environments preferring simple, unified build systems over multiple makefile configurations

Pros & Cons

Pros

Modular Compile-Time Configuration

Allows selective enabling or disabling of algorithms via tomcrypt_custom.h, enabling optimization for size or functionality as noted in the README's configuration options.

Broad Platform Support

Provides dedicated makefiles for UNIX, Windows (MinGW/MSVC), and embedded systems, ensuring portability across diverse environments as highlighted in the build system section.

Flexible MPI Integration

Supports multiple big integer libraries like GMP, libtommath, and tomsfastmath, selectable at runtime or compile-time for performance tuning, with examples in the building instructions.

Comprehensive Self-Testing

Includes built-in test binaries for algorithm validation and timing measurements, aiding development and debugging, as mentioned in the make targets like 'test' and 'timing'.

Cons

Documentation Fragmentation

Detailed documentation is only available as a PDF in release tarballs, not hosted online, making it less accessible for quick reference, as stated in the README's project status note.

Complex Build Configuration

Requires manual management of multiple makefiles and compiler flags, which can be error-prone and challenging, evidenced by the need for specific CFLAGS and EXTRALIBS in examples.

Limited High-Level Tools

Binary utilities like hashsum and crypt are basic, and some like openssl-enc have broken builds in certain configurations, lacking robust command-line interfaces as noted in make targets.

Frequently Asked Questions

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