Authentication

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Authentication
Example
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#define MESSAGE (const unsigned char *) "test"
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#define MESSAGE_LEN 4
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​
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unsigned char key[crypto_auth_KEYBYTES];
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unsigned char mac[crypto_auth_BYTES];
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​
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crypto_auth_keygen(key);
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crypto_auth(mac, MESSAGE, MESSAGE_LEN, key);
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​
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if (crypto_auth_verify(mac, MESSAGE, MESSAGE_LEN, key) != 0) {
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    /* message forged! */
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}
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Purpose
This operation computes an authentication tag for a message and a secret key, and provides a way to verify that a given tag is valid for a given message and a key.
The function computing the tag deterministic: the same (message, key) tuple will always produce the same output.
However, even if the message is public, knowing the key is required in order to be able to compute a valid tag. Therefore, the key should remain confidential. The tag, however, can be public.
A typical use case is:
A prepares a message, add an authentication tag, sends it to B
A doesn't store the message
Later on, B sends the message and the authentication tag to A
A uses the authentication tag to verify that it created this message.
This operation does not encrypt the message. It only computes and verifies an authentication tag.
Usage
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int crypto_auth(unsigned char *out, const unsigned char *in,
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                unsigned long long inlen, const unsigned char *k);
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The crypto_auth() function computes a tag for the message in, whose length is inlen bytes, and the key k. k should be crypto_auth_KEYBYTES bytes. The function puts the tag into out. The tag is crypto_auth_BYTES bytes long.
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int crypto_auth_verify(const unsigned char *h, const unsigned char *in,
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                       unsigned long long inlen, const unsigned char *k);
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The crypto_auth_verify() function verifies that the tag stored at h is a valid tag for the message in whose length is inlen bytes, and the key k.
It returns -1 if the verification fails, and 0 if it passes.
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void crypto_auth_keygen(unsigned char k[crypto_auth_KEYBYTES]);
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This helper function introduced in libsodium 1.0.12 creates a random key k.
It is equivalent to calling randombytes_buf() but improves code clarity and can prevent misuse by ensuring that the provided key length is always be correct.
Constants
crypto_auth_BYTES
crypto_auth_KEYBYTES
Algorithm details
HMAC-SHA512-256
Encrypting a set of related messages
AEAD constructions
Last modified 3mo ago
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