New Python block cipher API, comments wanted

[Paul Rubin]

Andrew McGregor <andrew at indranet.co.nz> writes:
> Um, there is such a module, it's called PyCrypto and is at at least
> revision 1.9.  I've used it to write a significant application, which
> interoperates with others using different libraries.  Nice C or even
> ix86 assembler ciphers, very, very fast.  It has an API feature I'd
> call essential that are not part of PEP 272 but is included in your
> proposal, that is the ability to change IV after creating a cipher,
> between uses of it.
> 
> It implements much more than PEP 272, including quite nice public key
> crypto (in pure python).

According to its homepage, PyCrypto is still in alpha test.  It's a
very complicated package compared to just implementing a couple of
block ciphers.  

Note that the code I released does include a set_iv operation in CBC
and CFB contexts that lets you change the IV.  I will update the docs
to make sure that gets mentioned.  

> I think that that module is mature enough to roll into the
> distribution as it is, or very close to it.  The documentation may
> need expanded a bit.

That would be great, it would remove the need for doing another
module.  AMK, if you're reading this, what do you think of the idea of
submitting it?