This is a /dev/crypto device driver, equivalent to those in OpenBSD or
FreeBSD. The main idea is to access of existing ciphers in kernel space 
from userspace, thus enabling the re-use of a hardware implementation of a
cipher.

For questions and suggestions please use the mailing lists at:
http://cryptodev-linux.org/lists.html


=== How to combine with cryptographic libraries ===

* GnuTLS: 

GnuTLS needs to be compiled with --enable-cryptodev in order to take
advantage of /dev/crypto. GnuTLS 3.0.14 or later is recommended.

* OpenSSL:

The current releases of openssl support /dev/crypto by using the
-DHAVE_CRYPTODEV and -DUSE_CRYPTODEV_DIGESTS flags during compilation.
Note that the latter flag (digests) may induce a performance penalty
in some systems. The file eng_cryptodev.c found in the extras directory
of this release is an improved version of one present in openssl releases.
Depending on your needs you may use either.