Progress 10.1C 4GL Encode Function - cryptography

Question

Does anyone know which algorithm Progress 10.1C uses in the Encode Function?
I found this: http://knowledgebase.progress.com/articles/Article/21685
The Progress 4GL ENCODE function uses a CRC-16 algorithm to generate its encoded output.
Progress 4GL:
ENCODE("Test").
gives as output "LkwidblanjsipkJC"
But for example on http://www.nitrxgen.net/hashgen/ with Password "Test", I never get the Result as from Progress..
Any Ideas? :)

Answer 1

I've made the algorithm available on https://github.com/pvginkel/ProgressEncode.

Answer 2

I needed this function in Java. So I ported Pieter's C# code (https://github.com/pvginkel/ProgressEncode) to Java. At least all test cases passed. Enjoy! :)
public class ProgressEncode {
static int[] table = { 0x0000, 0xC0C1, 0xC181, 0x0140, 0xC301, 0x03C0,
0x0280, 0xC241, 0xC601, 0x06C0, 0x0780, 0xC741, 0x0500, 0xC5C1,
0xC481, 0x0440, 0xCC01, 0x0CC0, 0x0D80, 0xCD41, 0x0F00, 0xCFC1,
0xCE81, 0x0E40, 0x0A00, 0xCAC1, 0xCB81, 0x0B40, 0xC901, 0x09C0,
0x0880, 0xC841, 0xD801, 0x18C0, 0x1980, 0xD941, 0x1B00, 0xDBC1,
0xDA81, 0x1A40, 0x1E00, 0xDEC1, 0xDF81, 0x1F40, 0xDD01, 0x1DC0,
0x1C80, 0xDC41, 0x1400, 0xD4C1, 0xD581, 0x1540, 0xD701, 0x17C0,
0x1680, 0xD641, 0xD201, 0x12C0, 0x1380, 0xD341, 0x1100, 0xD1C1,
0xD081, 0x1040, 0xF001, 0x30C0, 0x3180, 0xF141, 0x3300, 0xF3C1,
0xF281, 0x3240, 0x3600, 0xF6C1, 0xF781, 0x3740, 0xF501, 0x35C0,
0x3480, 0xF441, 0x3C00, 0xFCC1, 0xFD81, 0x3D40, 0xFF01, 0x3FC0,
0x3E80, 0xFE41, 0xFA01, 0x3AC0, 0x3B80, 0xFB41, 0x3900, 0xF9C1,
0xF881, 0x3840, 0x2800, 0xE8C1, 0xE981, 0x2940, 0xEB01, 0x2BC0,
0x2A80, 0xEA41, 0xEE01, 0x2EC0, 0x2F80, 0xEF41, 0x2D00, 0xEDC1,
0xEC81, 0x2C40, 0xE401, 0x24C0, 0x2580, 0xE541, 0x2700, 0xE7C1,
0xE681, 0x2640, 0x2200, 0xE2C1, 0xE381, 0x2340, 0xE101, 0x21C0,
0x2080, 0xE041, 0xA001, 0x60C0, 0x6180, 0xA141, 0x6300, 0xA3C1,
0xA281, 0x6240, 0x6600, 0xA6C1, 0xA781, 0x6740, 0xA501, 0x65C0,
0x6480, 0xA441, 0x6C00, 0xACC1, 0xAD81, 0x6D40, 0xAF01, 0x6FC0,
0x6E80, 0xAE41, 0xAA01, 0x6AC0, 0x6B80, 0xAB41, 0x6900, 0xA9C1,
0xA881, 0x6840, 0x7800, 0xB8C1, 0xB981, 0x7940, 0xBB01, 0x7BC0,
0x7A80, 0xBA41, 0xBE01, 0x7EC0, 0x7F80, 0xBF41, 0x7D00, 0xBDC1,
0xBC81, 0x7C40, 0xB401, 0x74C0, 0x7580, 0xB541, 0x7700, 0xB7C1,
0xB681, 0x7640, 0x7200, 0xB2C1, 0xB381, 0x7340, 0xB101, 0x71C0,
0x7080, 0xB041, 0x5000, 0x90C1, 0x9181, 0x5140, 0x9301, 0x53C0,
0x5280, 0x9241, 0x9601, 0x56C0, 0x5780, 0x9741, 0x5500, 0x95C1,
0x9481, 0x5440, 0x9C01, 0x5CC0, 0x5D80, 0x9D41, 0x5F00, 0x9FC1,
0x9E81, 0x5E40, 0x5A00, 0x9AC1, 0x9B81, 0x5B40, 0x9901, 0x59C0,
0x5880, 0x9841, 0x8801, 0x48C0, 0x4980, 0x8941, 0x4B00, 0x8BC1,
0x8A81, 0x4A40, 0x4E00, 0x8EC1, 0x8F81, 0x4F40, 0x8D01, 0x4DC0,
0x4C80, 0x8C41, 0x4400, 0x84C1, 0x8581, 0x4540, 0x8701, 0x47C0,
0x4680, 0x8641, 0x8201, 0x42C0, 0x4380, 0x8341, 0x4100, 0x81C1,
0x8081, 0x4040 };
public static byte[] Encode(byte[] input) {
if (input == null)
return null;
byte[] scratch = new byte[16];
int hash = 17;
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
for (int j = 0; j < input.length; j++)
scratch[15 - (j % 16)] ^= input[j];
for (int j = 0; j < 16; j += 2) {
hash = Hash(scratch, hash);
scratch[j] = (byte) (hash & 0xFF);
scratch[j + 1] = (byte) ((hash >>> 8) & 0xFF);
}
}
byte[] target = new byte[16];
for (int i = 0; i < 16; i++) {
byte lower = (byte) (scratch[i] & 0x7F);
if ((lower >= 'A' && lower <= 'Z') || (lower >= 'a' && lower <= 'z'))
target[i] = lower;
else
target[i] = (byte) (((scratch[i] >>> 4 & 0xF) + 0x61) & 0xFF);
}
return target;
}
private static int Hash(byte[] scratch, int hash) {
for (int i = 15; i >= 0; i--)
hash = ((hash >>> 8) & 0xFF ^ table[hash & 0xFF] ^ table[scratch[i] & 0xFF]) & 0xFFFF;
return hash;
}
}

Answer 3

There are several implementations of CRC-16. Progress Software (deliberately) does not document which variant is used.
For what purpose are you looking for this?

Answer 4

Rather than trying to use "encode" I'd recommend studying OE's cryptography functionality. I'm not sure what 10.1C supports, the 11.0 docs I have says OE supports:
• DES — Data Encryption Standard
• DES3 — Triple DES
• AES — Advanced Encryption Standard
• RC4 — Also known as ARC4
The OE PDF docs are available here:
http://communities.progress.com/pcom/docs/DOC-16074

Answer 5

The way how the ENCODE function only works one way. Progress has never disclosed the algorithm behind it. Plus they have never built in a function to decode.
As with OE 10.0B Progress has implemented cryptography within the ABL. Have a look at the ENCRYPT and DECRYPT function.