An Overview on Encryption in C++

Jens Weller
CppCon 2015
NDC Oslo 2015
C++Now 2015

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About me
● C++ Evangelist
– @meetingcpp

● C++ since '98

● '02-'07 Vodafone
● '07 selfemployed /
freelancer in C++
● '12 Meeting C++

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Disclaimer
● I'm not an expert in encryption
● This is an overview covering
– Crpyto++
– Botan
– libSodium

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Why?
● I was looking for a solution last fall
● What I found
– Few specialized libraries
– Lots of documentation
– Easy to do or understand things wrong
● Gaining more insight in options for encryption
– Why not give a talk about it?

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This talk is about USING encryption.
Not IMPLEMENTING it.

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Politics
● Discussion on Encryption
– Backdoors
– If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear
● TSA Keys
– Backdoor
– TSA doesn't care they leaked
● Canaries
– Communicate that you have been gagged

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Image source: https://twitter.com/Gizmodo/status/644605077056036864

You and your Data
● Are a Target
– Services
– Botnets
● Interesting data
– Email
– Passwords
– Logins
● Hardware Resources

● Security Aspects of feature rich,

connected embedded devices
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Your attacker lives in the future, but you write your
code today.

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Short Encryption Update
● Symmetric ● Cipher modes
– One Key – Block cipher
– AES – Stream cipher
● A-Symmetric ● HTTPS
– Two Keys – Transport Encryption
● Public – Not for UDP
● Private – No Data Encryption
– RSA

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*******
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Storing Passwords
● Authentication
– Never as plaintext
– hash(pw + salt)
● Logins
– Plaintext?
– Encrypt?

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Encrypting Passwords
● Symmetric: ● OS API?
– Where to store the key? ● I'm still thinking on
● A-Symmetric that problem...
– Private key
● Encrypted with
password...
● Plaintext
– Mutate to real pw?

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Encryption and C++

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Lingua Franca
● unsigned char
– Most interfaces build up on this
– std::string etc.
● char

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C++ Standard & Encryption
● <random>?
– Nope
– random_device
● Not guaranteed
● /dev/urandom
– libc++
– libstdc++
● Same for boost random

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C++ Encryption Libraries
● Cryptopp ● Botan ● libSodium
– Fork of
libNaCl

● OpenSSL ● QCA
– libCrypto – Encryption
based on
Qt4

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C++ Encryption Libraries
● Cryptopp ● Botan ● libSodium
– 5.6.2 – Fork of
libNaCl

● C++03 ● C++03(stable) ● C
C++11 C++11(dev)
ISC License
● ●
●

– 5.6.3 – Use this one

● Boost License ● BSD-2

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Crypto Examples
● AES
– Cryptopp
● RSA
– Botan
● Cryptobox
– libSodium

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AES
● Advanced Encryption Standard
– Block Cipher
– Symmetric
– Widely used
– Operates on modes
– Needs to be initialized

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AES - Modes
● AES has different modes
– ECB – Electronic Code Book
– CBC – Cipher Block Chaining
– OFB – Output FeedBack
– CFB – Cipher FeedBack
– CTR – Counter Mode
– Newer modes:
● EAX & GCM

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ECB
● Not really

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Image: Larry Ewing, [email protected], The GIMP
CBC
● Cipher Block Chaining

● + ● -
● No Parallel encryption
● Secure
● Known attacks
– When used properly – Malleability
● Parallel decryption – Secure, when done correctly

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OFB
● “Stream Cipher Mode”

● + ● -
● Key stream ● Security model is
– Computable in advance questionable
● Fast hardware ● Misconfiguration can lead to
implementation short key stream cycles

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CFB
● Cipher Feedback
● “CBC backwards”

● + ● -
● Small footprint ● Not very common
● Parallel decryption

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CTR
● Counter Mode

● + ● -
● Secure ● ?
– When done right
● Parallel en/decryption

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But wait! There is more!
● EAX and GCM ● Which to choose?
– Authentication – Depends
– Encryption – EAX & GCM
– Based on CTR – CTR
– CBC/CFB

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IV – Initialization Vector
● unsigned char[16]; ● Usually Libraries
● Must be random provide facilities for
generating random
– Not pseudo random bytes.
● Can be public!
● Do not reuse!

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AES - Cryptopp

Code example

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AES – Keys (Cryptopp)
● 16 / 32 bytes
AutoSeededRandomPool rnd;
// Generate a random key
SecByteBlock key(0x00, AES::DEFAULT_KEYLENGTH);
rnd.GenerateBlock( key, key.size() );
// Generate a random IV
byte iv[AES::BLOCKSIZE];
rnd.GenerateBlock(iv, AES::BLOCKSIZE);

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AES – Keys (Cryptopp)
● 16 / 32 bytes
AutoSeededRandomPool rnd;
// Generate a random key
SecByteBlock key(0x00, AES::DEFAULT_KEYLENGTH);
rnd.GenerateBlock( key, key.size() );
// Generate a random IV
byte iv[AES::BLOCKSIZE];
rnd.GenerateBlock(iv, AES::BLOCKSIZE);

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AES – Keys (Cryptopp)
● 16 / 32 bytes
AutoSeededRandomPool rnd;
// Generate a random key
SecByteBlock key(0x00, AES::DEFAULT_KEYLENGTH);
rnd.GenerateBlock( key, key.size() );
// Generate a random IV
byte iv[AES::BLOCKSIZE];
rnd.GenerateBlock(iv, AES::BLOCKSIZE);

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AES – Keys (Cryptopp)
● 16 / 32 bytes
AutoSeededRandomPool rnd;
// Generate a random key
SecByteBlock key(0x00, AES::DEFAULT_KEYLENGTH);
rnd.GenerateBlock( key, key.size() );
// Generate a random IV
byte iv[AES::BLOCKSIZE];
rnd.GenerateBlock(iv, AES::BLOCKSIZE);

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AES Encryption
char plainText[] = "Hello! How are you.";
int messageLen = (int)strlen(plainText) + 1;
// Encrypt
CFB_Mode<AES>::Encryption cfbEncryption(key, key.size(), iv);
cfbEncryption.ProcessData(
(byte*)plainText,
(byte*)plainText,
messageLen);

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AES Encryption
char plainText[] = "Hello! How are you.";
int messageLen = (int)strlen(plainText) + 1;
// Encrypt
CFB_Mode<AES>::Encryption cfbEncryption(key, key.size(), iv);
cfbEncryption.ProcessData(
(byte*)plainText,
(byte*)plainText,
messageLen);

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AES Encryption
char plainText[] = "Hello! How are you.";
int messageLen = (int)strlen(plainText) + 1;
// Encrypt
CFB_Mode<AES>::Encryption cfbEncryption(key, key.size(), iv);
cfbEncryption.ProcessData(
(byte*)plainText,
(byte*)plainText,
messageLen);

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AES - Decryption
// Decrypt
typedef CFB_Mode<AES> mode;
mode::Decryption cfbDecryption(key, key.size(), iv);
cfbDecryption.ProcessData(
(byte*)plainText,
(byte*)plainText,
messageLen);

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AES
● Cryptopp ● Modes
– Use a random iv & – Select the right one
key for your use case
– The key is not a ● Padding
password
– Offset before the
encryption
– Cryptopp examples
do not use it

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RSA
● A-Symmetric Cipher ● Public Key
● 2 Keys – Encryption
– Public – Can be shared
– Private ● Private Key
– Must not be shared
– Should be protected

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Botan
● namespace Botan
● Botan initialization
– Botan::LibraryInitializer
● Create an instance (stack!)
● Can throw (try & catch)
● A collection of encryption algorithms

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RSA - Botan
● Where do you get a private Key from?
– RSA_PrivateKey
● (RandomNumberGenerator& rng, size_t bits)

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RSA - Botan

Code example

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RSA encryption with
botan
std::string text = "abc";
AutoSeeded_RNG rng;
RSA_PrivateKey key(rng, 1024);
std::string pub = X509::PEM_encode(key);
std::string priv = PKCS8::PEM_encode(key);
DataSource_Memory key_pub(pub);
DataSource_Memory key_priv(priv);

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RSA encryption with
botan
std::string text = "abc";
AutoSeeded_RNG rng;
RSA_PrivateKey key(rng, 1024);
std::string pub = X509::PEM_encode(key);
std::string priv = PKCS8::PEM_encode(key);
DataSource_Memory key_pub(pub);
DataSource_Memory key_priv(priv);

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RSA encryption with
botan
std::string text = "abc";
AutoSeeded_RNG rng;
RSA_PrivateKey key(rng, 1024);
std::string pub = X509::PEM_encode(key);
std::string priv = PKCS8::PEM_encode(key);
DataSource_Memory key_pub(pub);
DataSource_Memory key_priv(priv);

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RSA encryption with
botan
std::string text = "abc";
AutoSeeded_RNG rng;
RSA_PrivateKey key(rng, 1024);
std::string pub = X509::PEM_encode(key);
std::string priv = PKCS8::PEM_encode(key);
DataSource_Memory key_pub(pub);
DataSource_Memory key_priv(priv);

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RSA Keysetup

X509_PublicKey *pub_rsa = X509::load_key(key_pub);

PKCS8_PrivateKey *priv_rsa = PKCS8::load_key(key_priv, rng);

auto *enckey = dynamic_cast<PK_Encrypting_Key*>(pub_rsa);

auto *deckey = dynamic_cast<PK_Decrypting_Key*>(priv_rsa);

PK_Encryptor *enc = get_pk_encryptor(*enckey, "EME1(SHA-256)");

PK_Decryptor *dec = get_pk_decryptor(*deckey, "EME1(SHA-256)");

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RSA Keysetup

X509_PublicKey *pub_rsa = X509::load_key(key_pub);

PKCS8_PrivateKey *priv_rsa = PKCS8::load_key(key_priv, rng);

auto *enckey = dynamic_cast<PK_Encrypting_Key*>(pub_rsa);

auto *deckey = dynamic_cast<PK_Decrypting_Key*>(priv_rsa);

PK_Encryptor *enc = get_pk_encryptor(*enckey, "EME1(SHA-256)");

PK_Decryptor *dec = get_pk_decryptor(*deckey, "EME1(SHA-256)");

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RSA Keysetup

X509_PublicKey *pub_rsa = X509::load_key(key_pub);

PKCS8_PrivateKey *priv_rsa = PKCS8::load_key(key_priv, rng);

auto *enckey = dynamic_cast<PK_Encrypting_Key*>(pub_rsa);

auto *deckey = dynamic_cast<PK_Decrypting_Key*>(priv_rsa);

PK_Encryptor *enc = get_pk_encryptor(*enckey, "EME1(SHA-256)");

PK_Decryptor *dec = get_pk_decryptor(*deckey, "EME1(SHA-256)");

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RSA Keysetup

X509_PublicKey *pub_rsa = X509::load_key(key_pub);

PKCS8_PrivateKey *priv_rsa = PKCS8::load_key(key_priv, rng);

auto *enckey = dynamic_cast<PK_Encrypting_Key*>(pub_rsa);

auto *deckey = dynamic_cast<PK_Decrypting_Key*>(priv_rsa);

PK_Encryptor *enc = get_pk_encryptor(*enckey, "EME1(SHA-256)");

PK_Decryptor *dec = get_pk_decryptor(*deckey, "EME1(SHA-256)");

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RSA En/Decrypting
byte msg[text.size()];
SecureVector<byte> ciphertext
= enc->encrypt(msg, sizeof(msg), rng);

SecureVector<byte> plaintext
= dec->decrypt(ciphertext, ciphertext.size());

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Cryptobox
● AES & RSA
– Can be tricky to setup
● What if just a good encryption is needed?
● A Cryptobox
– Hides implementation details
– Exposes an easier interface for encryption

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Cryptobox approach
//pseudo code
namespace cryptobox
{
Buffer decrypt(key,buffer,algo);
Buffer encrypt(key,buffer,algo);
}

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Cryptobox
● Botan
– Based on Serpent (Block cipher)
● Libsodium
– Different cryptoboxes
● Symmetric
● A-Symmetric

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libSodium
● Fork of libNaCl
– Goal is to make encryption accessible
● C library
– C++ wrappers exist
● Initialization:
– sodium_init()

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Cryptobox - libSodium

Code example

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libSodium
#define MESSAGE ((const unsigned char *) "test")
#define MESSAGE_LEN 4
#define CIPHERTEXT_LEN
(crypto_secretbox_MACBYTES + MESSAGE_LEN)

unsigned char nonce[crypto_secretbox_NONCEBYTES];

unsigned char key[crypto_secretbox_KEYBYTES];
unsigned char ciphertext[CIPHERTEXT_LEN];

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libSodium
#define MESSAGE ((const unsigned char *) "test")
#define MESSAGE_LEN 4
#define CIPHERTEXT_LEN
(crypto_secretbox_MACBYTES + MESSAGE_LEN)

unsigned char nonce[crypto_secretbox_NONCEBYTES];

unsigned char key[crypto_secretbox_KEYBYTES];
unsigned char ciphertext[CIPHERTEXT_LEN];

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libSodium
#define MESSAGE ((const unsigned char *) "test")
#define MESSAGE_LEN 4
#define CIPHERTEXT_LEN
(crypto_secretbox_MACBYTES + MESSAGE_LEN)

unsigned char nonce[crypto_secretbox_NONCEBYTES];

unsigned char key[crypto_secretbox_KEYBYTES];
unsigned char ciphertext[CIPHERTEXT_LEN];

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randombytes_buf(nonce, sizeof nonce);
randombytes_buf(key, sizeof key);
crypto_secretbox_easy(ciphertext, MESSAGE, MESSAGE_LEN,
nonce, key);

unsigned char decrypted[MESSAGE_LEN];

if (crypto_secretbox_open_easy(decrypted, ciphertext,
CIPHERTEXT_LEN, nonce, key) != 0) {
/* message forged! */
}

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randombytes_buf(nonce, sizeof nonce);
randombytes_buf(key, sizeof key);
crypto_secretbox_easy(ciphertext, MESSAGE, MESSAGE_LEN,
nonce, key);

unsigned char decrypted[MESSAGE_LEN];

if (crypto_secretbox_open_easy(decrypted, ciphertext,
CIPHERTEXT_LEN, nonce, key) != 0) {
/* message forged! */
}

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randombytes_buf(nonce, sizeof nonce);
randombytes_buf(key, sizeof key);
crypto_secretbox_easy(ciphertext, MESSAGE, MESSAGE_LEN,
nonce, key);

unsigned char decrypted[MESSAGE_LEN];

if (crypto_secretbox_open_easy(decrypted, ciphertext,
CIPHERTEXT_LEN, nonce, key) != 0) {
/* message forged! */
}

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In the box...
● Symmetric
– Encryption: XSalsa20 stream cipher
– Authentication: Poly1305 MAC
● A-Symmetric
– Key exchange: Curve25519
– Encryption: XSalsa20 stream cipher
– Authentication: Poly1305 MAC

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Final thoughts
● Encrypt critical data
● Botan and Crypto++
– Are a collection of encryption algorithms
● A Cryptobox
– easy and save encryption
– libSodium – symmetric & a-symmetric
– Botan - symmetric

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The End

Questions?

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