The libcrypt library provides APIs that perform functions such as password encryption (hashing) and encryption/decryption of 64-bit message blocks.

Password encryption: Either the Data Encryption Standard (DES) or the MD5 hash algorithm is used. The user can choose the actual algorithm to be used by specifying an appropriate value to one of the arguments of this API. Also, the API for password encryption implements the feature to thwart the "dictionary attack". This is done by perturbing the underlying algorithm based on the user-supplied parameter.

Encryption/decryption of 64-bit message blocks: The API that performs the encryption/decryption of message blocks uses the Data Encryption Standard (DES) algorithm.

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