About this document

The IBM Z® Protected-Key Cryptographic Library (libzpc) is an open-source library targeting the 64-bit Linux on IBM Z and IBM LinuxONE platforms. The implementation of the provided APIs for cryptographic operations exploits the CP Assist for Cryptographic Functions (CPACF) of IBM Z and LinuxONE systems. Therefore, libzpc can provide the high-performance support of the CPACF feature, combined with the use of protected keys, which ensures that key material is never present in main memory at any time.

libzpc is a cryptographic library, which enables customers to exploit the protected-key cryptography of the CPACF feature without the need to use assembler language to access its Message Security Assist (MSA) programming interface.

This documentation is intended for application programmers who write cryptographic programs that exploit the high security protected-key services provided by the CPACF which is part of the z/Architecture® of the IBM Z and LinuxONE systems.