Xceed Encryption Library

The Xceed Encryption Library is an ActiveX component that allows Windows applications to encrypt and decrypt data using the latest industry standard strong encryption algorithms. The library supports both traditional secret-key encryption as well as public-key encryption, and can encrypt or decrypt memory buffers, strings, blobs, streaming data or files.

For traditional strong encryption, the library supports the newly adopted AES (US Advanced Encryption Standard) secret-key encryption algorithm known as Rijndael which uses 128, 192 or 256-bit keys. It also supports the Twofish encryption algorithm, a runner-up candidate for AES. For public-key encryption, the library offers the well-known RSA algorithm unlimited key bit-sizes. The library includes a test vector sample application with the test vectors required to demonstrate correct implementation of the encryption algorithms offered.

The library uses the modern SHA-2 and HAVAL hashing algorithms so that passphrases can be converted to exactly the amount of bits required for an encryption key and with better mathematical properties than older hashing algorithms such as MD5.

Like all Xceed components, this library is designed to be flexible yet extremely easy to use. In fact, it only takes one line of code to encrypt or decrypt memory or files. A single line of code can even be used to chain together multiple Xceed components like the Xceed Streaming Compression Library and the Xceed Binary Encoding Library, so you can compress, encrypt and encode data into text just as easily.

The fully self-contained ActiveX control at the core of the library is all you need to include with your projects. The component has no external dependencies such as MFC DLLs, runtime libraries or other resources. That translates to minimal hassle at distribution time. The library also supports all the available ActiveX functionality designed to make your programming job easier, such as categorized properties, built-in constants and enumerations, context-sensitive F1-help, optional parameters and built-in help strings.

The library comes with support for all 32-bit development languages that can use ActiveX controls, including Visual Basic, Visual C++, Active Server Pages, Delphi, C++Builder, and many others.

We invite you to download the fully functional free trial version of the library and start integrating Xceed Encryption Library into one of your existing programs right away. All you really have to do is add the control to a form, set one or two properties, and off you go!

ActiveX technology

• A single fully self-contained COM object and ActiveX control written with ATL 3.0
• Requires no external DLLs, ATL, MFC or runtime libraries
• Does not depend on Microsofts CryptoAPI in any way
• Both single-threaded (STA) and multi-threaded apartment (MTA) model design
• Instantiate the component dynamically without putting it on a form
• Supports multiple instances running simultaneously
• When running on Windows NT, 2000 or XP, the library automatically switches to native Unicode API calls for best performance
• ActiveX control interface has all constants, enumerations and types built-in. Code completion, property categories, help strings and context-sensitive F1-help fully supported
• Works with all 32-bit development environments that can use ActiveX controls, including VB, VC++, Delphi, C++ Builder, VFP, Office, Web scripting languages, ASP and DCOM projects

Encryption technology

• Supports both strong secret-key encryption and public-key encryption
• Supports the new Advanced Encryption Standard Rijndael algorithm, the Twofish algorithm and the RSA encryption algorithm (RSAES-OAEP)
• Secret-key (symmetrical) encryption support for 128, 192 or 256-bit keys
• Public-key (asymmetrical) encryption supports keys of 338-bits and up
• Supports Electronic Code Book (ECB) and Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) encryption modes
• Offers the modern SHA-2 and HAVAL hash functions, as well as SHA-1
• The library includes a test vector sample application with the test vectors required to demonstrate correct implementation of the encryption algorithms offered

Major features

• Fast, low memory usage algorithms
• Encrypt and decrypt data
• Digitally sign data
• Verify data against a digital signature
• Hash data (create message digests)
• Superior random number generator
• Process data directly from one memory buffer to another
• Process data from file to memory or from memory to file
• Process data from one file to another
• All functions modes support streaming data
• Settable initialization vector for Cipher Block Chaining encryption mode
• Compare data byte-for-byte
• RFC-2437 compliant
• Offers all the tools you need to create a digital envelope
• Can efficiently and automatically work together with the Xceed Streaming Compression Library and the Xceed Binary Encoding Library to compress, decompress, encode or decode data before encrypting, decrypting, signing or hashing it

Documentation and samples

• The complete documentation is available both as a printable MS Word document as well as a fully context-sensitive Windows .hlp file that is automatically opened to the right topic by pressing F1 on a keyword in your programming language
• Fully commented sample applications for various languages, including VB, Delphi, Visual C++ with ATL and MFC, C++ Builder and Active Server Pages