RFC 2313 (rfc2313) - Page 1 of 19

PKCS #1: RSA Encryption Version 1

Network Working Group                                      B. Kaliski
Request for Comments: 2313                      RSA Laboratories East
Category: Informational                                    March 1998


                        PKCS #1: RSA Encryption
                              Version 1.5

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1998).  All Rights Reserved.

Overview

   This document describes a method for encrypting data using the RSA
   public-key cryptosystem.

1. Scope

   This document describes a method for encrypting data using the RSA
   public-key cryptosystem. Its intended use is in the construction of
   digital signatures and digital envelopes, as described in PKCS #7:

        o    For digital signatures, the content to be signed
             is first reduced to a message digest with a
             message-digest algorithm (such as MD5), and then
             an octet string containing the message digest is
             encrypted with the RSA private key of the signer
             of the content. The content and the encrypted
             message digest are represented together according
             to the syntax in PKCS #7 to yield a digital
             signature. This application is compatible with
             Privacy-Enhanced Mail (PEM) methods.

        o    For digital envelopes, the content to be enveloped
             is first encrypted under a content-encryption key
             with a content-encryption algorithm (such as DES),
             and then the content-encryption key is encrypted
             with the RSA public keys of the recipients of the
             content. The encrypted content and the encrypted





Kaliski                      Informational