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VDChunk -- The Versatile Data Chunk

The library VDChunk is a multi-purpose C++ library that provides some classes which allow reading, writing and manipulating data blocks without thinking too much about strings, streams and numbering formats. To give you an idea, imagine a a function that derives a key from a password and encrypts a data block:

receive a password from the GUI
add an application-specific code and/or salt
hash it
cut it down to the size of a key
encrypt the data block using the key
save the result in a binary or hex file

(Please note that this procedure might not necessarily be a good way of deriving a key from a password. It is just an example.)

Using VDCHunk this would look like this (instances "data" and "key" are supposed to be already created):

  key->add_string("NotAGoodPassword"); // Should come from GUI
  key->add_byte(8); x->add_byte(15);   // Whatever you want here ....

  key->sha512();                       // SHA512 hashing algorithm
  key->del_bytes(24,63);               // Result has 64 bytes, we need 24
  key->odd_parity_all();               // Odd parity for key material
  data->tdes_encipher(key);            // Enrcypt data block using 3-key triple-DES

  data->write_hex_file("result.hex");  // Write result in file

Since this library is used by several of my and my friends programs, I decided to make it available to everybody by putting it on this site. Feel free to use and modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License. The most probable reason, however, why you ended up on this page, is that you encountered another program that requires VDChunk. In that case just download and unzip the source, read the INSTALL file and follow the instructions.

Releases:

VDChunk (Base version) version 0.2.3
There comes a rudimentary documentation with the package which you can preview here.

VDChunk-SC version 0.3.0 -- VDChunk for Smart Cards
This version supports smart card and crypto commands. It includes the base version but requires the libraries pcsc-lite (smart card middleware) and gcrypt (implementation of cryptographic functions). Please note that VDChunk itself does not contain any cryptographic material! There comes a rudimentary documentation with the package which you can preview here.

VDChunk-SC-CryptoPP version 0.1.0 -- VDChunk for Smart Cards (New!)
This version supports smart card and crypto commands based on the Crypto++ Library from Wei Dai. It includes the base version but requires the libraries pcsc-lite (smart card middleware) and Crypto++ (implementation of cryptographic functions). Please note that VDChunk itself does not contain any cryptographic material!

VDChunk-CryptoPP version 0.3.0
This version supports crypto commands based on the Crypto++ Library from Wei Dai. It also includes the base version but requires the library Crypto++ (implementation of cryptographic functions). Please note that VDChunk itself does not contain any cryptographic material! There comes a rudimentary documentation with the package which you can preview here.

Last revision: August 23rd, 2010