This is the README for Ironclad, a cryptography package for ANSI Common Lisp. It includes several popular block encryption algorithms and several popular hash functions. This release also includes some initial public-key cryptography functionality with the addition of DSA signing and verification. (As a bonus, this software used to sign this release was written in pure Common Lisp.) This release is intended as a prototype and as a basis for discussion and refinement. Most of the algorithms were written with efficiency for specific Common Lisp implementations in mind, although portable code is provided as an alternative in nearly all instances. The framework should be flexible enough to accomodate implementation-specific optimizations when possible. Documentation is currently minimal. Documentation strings for most of the exported functions should be provided; these strings provide a decent overview of what the library is capable of. Test vectors for many of the algorithms are included to provide a level of confidence in the correctness of the implementations. A (incomplete) TODO list is included with the package. The NEWS file provides a high-level overview of what has changed since the last release. ASDF packaging is provided; (asdf:oos 'asdf:load-op :ironclad) should be all you need to get started. Comments, criticisms, additions, and optimizations are welcome at the below email address. Nathan Froyd froydnj@gmail.com 30 January 2006