The Commercial Data Masking Facility (CDMF) data privacy algorithm

The Commercial Data Masking Facility (CDMF) algorithm defines a scrambling technique for data confidentiality that uses the Data Encryption Algorithm (DEA) as the underlying cryptographic algorithm, but weakens the overall cryptographic operation by defining a key-generation method that produces an effective 40-bit DEA key instead of the 56 bits required by the full- strength DEA. In general, products implementing the CDMF algorithm in an appropriate manner may be freely exported from the USA. The algorithm is thus intended as a drop-in replacement for the DEA in cryptographic products. Discussed in this paper are the design requirements, rationale, strength, and applications of the CDMF algorithm.