Re: Crypto scripting language

["Perry E. Metzger" <perry@snark.imsi.com>]

1) This is not the sort of "scripting language" that was being
   discussed. What was proposed was a system in which one could
   combine primitive operations to perform various kinds of
   cryptography. As an example, one could say something like "take a
   block of text, MD5 hash it, take the hash, and raise this other
   number to the hash value modulo this other prime number". What you
   are showing is a piss-poor shell scripting language.

2) Until such time as Dolphin Encrypt's algorithm is subjected to real
   analysis, it must be assumed to be a useless piece of garbage.

Perry

Peter Davidson says:
> 
>  
> >Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 09:00:10 -0700
> >From: Hal <hfinney@shell.portal.com>
> >To: cypherpunks@toad.com
> >Subject: Re:  Crypto scripting language
> >
> >From: peace@BIX.com
> >> I wrote a cryptographic scripting language that has been implemented in
> >> a commercial product. [...]
> >
> >I'd like to hear more about your scripting language.
> >[...] In the mean time, perhaps you could describe the language here.  What
> >is its syntax like?  Interpreted or compiled?  What kind of special crypto
> >support does it have?
>  
> > [...]
> >Hal
>  
> Well, I don't know anything about peace@BIX.com's crypto scripting
> language but according to my manual for Dolphin Encrypt Advanced
> Version (a different product from DE) the program supports a script
> language.  It's an interpreted language.  It's explained in an 11-page
> appendix in the manual.  From a quick perusal:  The script is
> contained in a textfile.  You run DE with a command like DE2 @XXX.SCR
> and it reads XXX.SCR and interprets the commands.  Apparently the
> script language is designed only for use with the Dolphin Encrypt
> program itself (so you can't use it to encrypt with DES, etc.).
>  
> I don't have much use for scripting crypto applications myself (though
> if there were lots of encryption/decryption to be done daily I could
> see a use), so I can't post any that I've written for my own use only,
> but here's two of the sample scripts from the DEAV disk:
>  
> #TEST2.SCR
> #Script for testing Dolphin Encrypt
> #Last mod.: 1992-05-02
>  
> if not there_are_any C:\TEMP\*.TXT
>     output:
>     output: There are no C:\TEMP\*.TXT
> else
>     encrypt C:\TEMP\*.TXT C:\TEMP\*.ENC /c /b8
>     if exit_status = 0
>         decrypt C:\TEMP\*.ENC C:\TEMP\*.DEC /b-
>         if exit_status = 0
>             run DCOMPARE C:\TEMP\*.TXT C:\TEMP\*.DEC
>             if exit_status = 0
>                 output: File comparisons OK
>             else
>                 output: File comparison error!
>             endif
>         endif
>     endif
> endif
>  
> // VIEWENC.SCR
> // A script for decrypting and viewing text files in the current directory
> // which have been encrypted as files with extension .ENC.
> // No input parameters required
> // Use: DE2 @VIEWENC.SCR
> // Last modified: 1993-03-25
>  
> set escape on                   // Allow termination from script
>                                 // by pressing the Escape key.
> output                          // Print a blank line
> decrypt *.ENC *.DEC             // Decrypt the .ENC file(s)
> if not successful               // Check if decryption successful.
>     output: Decryption error!   // Print message if not.
> else                            // Otherwise:
>     beep                        // Pause so that user can
>     wait: Press a key ...       // verify successful decryption.
>     save screen                 // Save the video screen.
>     DFR *.DEC                   // View the plaintext files using DFR
>     restore screen              // Restore the video screen.
>     beep                        // Get the user's attention.
>     output                      // output a blank line
>     output: Decrypted plaintext files:
>     DIR *.DEC /w                // Show decrypted files on disk.
>     output                      // output a blank line
>     ask: Purge decrypted file(s)?
>     if answer = Y
>         purge *.DEC /d         // /d means display file names.
>         if not successful       // If error occurred
>             beep                // attract user's attention
>             wait                // and wait for a keypress.
>         endif
>     endif
>     if printer                  // If output redirected to printer
>         eject                   // issue a formfeed.
>     endif
> endif
>  
> Lessee now ... for those interested, Dolphin Software's address is
> ... got it right here ... 48 Shattuck Square #147, Berkeley, CA 94704.
>