
IDEA (International Data Encryption Algorithm), formerly known as IPES
(Improved Proposed Encryption Standard).

Algorithm developed by Xuejia Lai and James L. Massey, of ETH  Zurich.
This   implementation  modified  and  derived  from  original  C  code
developed by Xuejia Lai.

Extensively optimized and restructured by Colin Plumb.

The IDEA algorithm was developed by Xuejia Lai and James L. Massey, of
ETH Zurich.  The implementation  used  in  Netfone  was  modified  and
derived from original C code developed by Xuejia Lai and optimized for
speed by Colin Plumb <colin@nsq.gts.org>.  The IDEA[tm]  block  cipher
is   patented   by   Ascom-Tech   AG.   The  Swiss  patent  number  is
PCT/CH91/00117, the European patent number is EP 0 482 154 B1, and the
U.S.  patent  number  is  US005214703.   IDEA[tm]  is  a  trademark of
Ascom-Tech AG. There is no license fee required for noncommercial use.
Commercial  users  may  obtain licensing details from MediaCrypt AG at
IDEA@mediacrypt.com.  You can use IDEA  encryption  for  noncommercial
communications without a license from MediaCrypt AG; commercial use is
prohibited without a license.  If you don't want to obtain  a  license
from Ascom-Tech, use Blowfish, DES, or key file encryption instead.

For  further information on the IDEA cipher, see: Xuejia Lai.  "On the
Design and Security of  Block  Ciphers",  ETH  Series  on  Information
Processing  (ed.  J.L. Massey) Vol 1.  Hartung-Gorre Verlag, Konstanz,
Switzerland, 1992.  ISBN 3-89191-573-X.
