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CONSTTIME_MEMEQUAL(3)    BSD Library Functions Manual    CONSTTIME_MEMEQUAL(3)

NAME
     consttime_memequal -- compare byte strings for equality without timing
     leaks

LIBRARY
     Standard C Library (libc, -lc)

SYNOPSIS
     #include <string.h>

     int
     consttime_memequal(void *b1, void *b2, size_t len);

DESCRIPTION
     The consttime_memequal() function compares len bytes of memory at b1 and
     b2 for equality, returning zero if they are distinct and nonzero if they
     are identical.

     The time taken by consttime_memequal() depends on len, but not on the
     data at b1 or b2.  Thus, consttime_memequal() is appropriate for
     comparing cryptographic secrets, hashes, message authentication codes,
     etc., without leaking information about them through a timing side
     channel.  In crypto literature, consttime_memequal() is said to take
     'constant time', meaning time that does not vary depending on the data it
     processes.

     Note that unlike memcmp(3), consttime_memequal() does not return a
     lexicographic ordering on the data at b1 and b2; it tells only whether
     they are equal.

SEE ALSO
     explicit_memset(3), memcmp(3)

HISTORY
     The consttime_memequal() function appeared in NetBSD 7.0.

BSD                             August 28, 2013                            BSD
NAME | LIBRARY | SYNOPSIS | DESCRIPTION | SEE ALSO | HISTORY