MD5 Message Digest Algorithm Overview

This section describes the MD5 algorithm - a 5-step process of padding of '1000...', appending message length, dividing as 512-bit blocks, initializing 4 buffers, and 4-round of hashing each block.

MD5 algorithm is well described in "RFC 1321 - The MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm" at http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1321.txt. Below is a quick overview of the algorithm.

MD5 algorithm consists of 5 steps:

Step 1. Appending Padding Bits. The original message is "padded" (extended) so that its length (in bits) is congruent to 448, modulo 512. The padding rules are:

Step 2. Appending Length. 64 bits are appended to the end of the padded message to indicate the length of the original message in bytes. The rules of appending length are:

Step 3. Initializing MD Buffer. MD5 algorithm requires a 128-bit buffer with a specific initial value. The rules of initializing buffer are:

Step 4. Processing Message in 512-bit Blocks. This is the main step of MD 5 algorithm, which loops through the padded and appended message in blocks of 512 bits each. For each input block, 4 rounds of operations are performed with 16 operations in each round. This step can be described in the following pseudo code slightly modified from the RFC 1321's version:

Input and predefined functions: 
   A, B, C, D: initialized buffer words

   F(X,Y,Z) = (X AND Y ) OR (NOT X AND Z)
   G(X,Y,Z) = (X AND Z ) OR (Y AND NOT Z)
   H(X,Y,Z) = X XOR Y XOR Z
   I(X,Y,Z) = Y XOR (X OR NOT Z)

   T[1, 2, ..., 64]: Array of special constants (32-bit integers) as:
      T[i] = int(abs(sin(i)) * 2**32)
   
   M[1, 2, ..., N]: Blocks of the padded and appended message

   R1(a,b,c,d,X,s,i): Round 1 operation defined as: 
      a = b + ((a + F(b,c,d) + X + T[i]) <<< s)

   R2(a,b,c,d,X,s,i): Round 1 operation defined as: 
      a = b + ((a + G(b,c,d) + X + T[i]) <<< s)

   R3(a,b,c,d,X,s,i): Round 1 operation defined as: 
      a = b + ((a + H(b,c,d) + X + T[i]) <<< s)

   R4(a,b,c,d,X,s,i): Round 1 operation defined as: 
      a = b + ((a + I(b,c,d) + X + T[i]) <<< s)

Algorithm:
   For k = 1 to N do the following

     AA = A
     BB = B
     CC = C
     DD = D
     (X[0], X[1], ..., X[15]) = M[k] /* Divide M[k] into 16 words */
     
     /* Round 1. Do 16 operations. */
     R1(A,B,C,D,X[ 0], 7, 1)
     R1(D,A,B,C,X[ 1],12, 2)
     R1(C,D,A,B,X[ 2],17, 3)
     R1(B,C,D,A,X[ 3],22, 4)
     R1(A,B,C,D,X[ 4], 7, 5)
     R1(D,A,B,C,X[ 5],12, 6)
     R1(C,D,A,B,X[ 6],17, 7)
     R1(B,C,D,A,X[ 7],22, 8)
     R1(A,B,C,D,X[ 8], 7, 9)
     R1(D,A,B,C,X[ 9],12,10)
     R1(C,D,A,B,X[10],17,11)
     R1(B,C,D,A,X[11],22,12)
     R1(A,B,C,D,X[12], 7,13)
     R1(D,A,B,C,X[13],12,14)
     R1(C,D,A,B,X[14],17,15)
     R1(B,C,D,A,X[15],22,16)

     /* Round 2. Do 16 operations. */
     R2(A,B,C,D,X[ 1], 5,17)
     R2(D,A,B,C,X[ 6], 9,18)
     R2(C,D,A,B,X[11],14,19)
     R2(B,C,D,A,X[ 0],20,20)
     R2(A,B,C,D,X[ 5], 5,21)
     R2(D,A,B,C,X[10], 9,22)
     R2(C,D,A,B,X[15],14,23)
     R2(B,C,D,A,X[ 4],20,24)
     R2(A,B,C,D,X[ 9], 5,25)
     R2(D,A,B,C,X[14], 9,26)
     R2(C,D,A,B,X[ 3],14,27)
     R2(B,C,D,A,X[ 8],20,28)
     R2(A,B,C,D,X[13], 5,29)
     R2(D,A,B,C,X[ 2], 9,30)
     R2(C,D,A,B,X[ 7],14,31)
     R2(B,C,D,A,X[12],20,32)
     
     /* Round 3. Do 16 operations. */
     R3(A,B,C,D,X[ 5], 4,33)
     R3(D,A,B,C,X[ 8],11,34)
     R3(C,D,A,B,X[11],16,35)
     R3(B,C,D,A,X[14],23,36)
     R3(A,B,C,D,X[ 1], 4,37)
     R3(D,A,B,C,X[ 4],11,38)
     R3(C,D,A,B,X[ 7],16,39)
     R3(B,C,D,A,X[10],23,40)
     R3(A,B,C,D,X[13], 4,41)
     R3(D,A,B,C,X[ 0],11,42)
     R3(C,D,A,B,X[ 3],16,43)
     R3(B,C,D,A,X[ 6],23,44)
     R3(A,B,C,D,X[ 9], 4,45)
     R3(D,A,B,C,X[12],11,46)
     R3(C,D,A,B,X[15],16,47)
     R3(B,C,D,A,X[ 2],23,48)

     /* Round 4. Do 16 operations. */
     R4(A,B,C,D,X[ 0], 6,49)
     R4(D,A,B,C,X[ 7],10,50)
     R4(C,D,A,B,X[14],15,51)
     R4(B,C,D,A,X[ 5],21,52)
     R4(A,B,C,D,X[12], 6,53)
     R4(D,A,B,C,X[ 3],10,54)
     R4(C,D,A,B,X[10],15,55)
     R4(B,C,D,A,X[ 1],21,56)
     R4(A,B,C,D,X[ 8], 6,57)
     R4(D,A,B,C,X[15],10,58)
     R4(C,D,A,B,X[ 6],15,59)
     R4(B,C,D,A,X[13],21,60)
     R4(A,B,C,D,X[ 4], 6,61)
     R4(D,A,B,C,X[11],10,62)
     R4(C,D,A,B,X[ 2],15,63)
     R4(B,C,D,A,X[ 9],21,64)
     
     A = A + AA
     B = B + BB
     C = C + CC
     D = D + DD
   End of for loop
   
Output: 
   A, B, C, D: Message digest

Step 5. Output. The contents in buffer words A, B, C, D are returned in sequence with low-order byte first.

Table of Contents

 About This Book

 Cryptography Terminology

 Cryptography Basic Concepts

 Introduction to AES (Advanced Encryption Standard)

 Introduction to DES Algorithm

 DES Algorithm - Illustrated with Java Programs

 DES Algorithm Java Implementation

 DES Algorithm - Java Implementation in JDK JCE

 DES Encryption Operation Modes

 DES in Stream Cipher Modes

 PHP Implementation of DES - mcrypt

 Blowfish - 8-Byte Block Cipher

 Secret Key Generation and Management

 Cipher - Secret Key Encryption and Decryption

 Introduction of RSA Algorithm

 RSA Implementation using java.math.BigInteger Class

 Introduction of DSA (Digital Signature Algorithm)

 Java Default Implementation of DSA

 Private key and Public Key Pair Generation

 PKCS#8/X.509 Private/Public Encoding Standards

 Cipher - Public Key Encryption and Decryption

MD5 Mesasge Digest Algorithm

 What Is MD5 Message Digest Algorithm?

MD5 Message Digest Algorithm Overview

 Using MD5 Message Digest in Java

 Using MD5 Message Digest in PHP

 Using MD5 Message Digest in Perl

 SHA1 Mesasge Digest Algorithm

 OpenSSL Introduction and Installation

 OpenSSL Generating and Managing RSA Keys

 OpenSSL Managing Certificates

 OpenSSL Generating and Signing CSR

 OpenSSL Validating Certificate Path

 "keytool" and "keystore" from JDK

 "OpenSSL" Signing CSR Generated by "keytool"

 Migrating Keys from "keystore" to "OpenSSL" Key Files

 Certificate X.509 Standard and DER/PEM Formats

 Migrating Keys from "OpenSSL" Key Files to "keystore"

 Using Certificates in IE

 Using Certificates in Google Chrome

 Using Certificates in Firefox

 Archived Tutorials

 References

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