Can someone explain this code?

Hello there.. This code was developed to implement the EL Gamal algorithm. Can someone explain to me why the input is "beef"?

Code:

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package chapter4;

import java.security.Key;
import java.security.KeyPair;
import java.security.KeyPairGenerator;
import java.security.SecureRandom;

import javax.crypto.Cipher;

/**
 * El Gamal example with random key generation.
 */
public class RandomKeyElGamalExample
{
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception
    {
        byte[]          input = new byte[] { (byte)0xbe, (byte)0xef };
        Cipher          cipher = Cipher.getInstance(
                                                  "ElGamal/None/NoPadding", "BC");
        KeyPairGenerator generator = KeyPairGenerator.getInstance("ElGamal", "BC");
        SecureRandom    random = Utils.createFixedRandom();

        // create the keys

        generator.initialize(256, random);

        KeyPair          pair = generator.generateKeyPair();
        Key              pubKey = pair.getPublic();
        Key              privKey = pair.getPrivate();

        System.out.println("input : " + Utils.toHex(input));

        // encryption step

        cipher.init(Cipher.ENCRYPT_MODE, pubKey, random);

        byte[] cipherText = cipher.doFinal(input);

        System.out.println("cipher: " + Utils.toHex(cipherText));

        // decryption step

        cipher.init(Cipher.DECRYPT_MODE, privKey);

        byte[] plainText = cipher.doFinal(cipherText);

        System.out.println("plain : " + Utils.toHex(plainText));
    }
}

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Akirien

Hello there.. This code was developed to implement the EL Gamal algorithm. Can someone explain to me why the input is "beef"?

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The entire algorithm runs as follows: first some mumbo jumbo, next it creates the keys, followed by the encryption step and finally the program does the decryption step. Its output is (probably) 0xbeef again.

kind regards,

Jos

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JosAH

The entire algorithm runs as follows: first some mumbo jumbo, next it creates the keys, followed by the encryption step and finally the program does the decryption step. Its output is (probably) 0xbeef again.

kind regards,

Jos

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Thx Jos for the explanation.. yeah.. its output is beef. :D

This may be related: jargon, node: DEADBEEF

Also, Java class files are identified by their first four bytes, which are 0xCAFEBABE. :-P