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Reference.org
Mask generation function
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<p> A mask generation function (MGF) is a cryptographic primitive similar to a <a href="/facts/Cryptographic_hash_function/cuxkgbST">cryptographic hash function</a> except that while a hash function's output has a fixed size, a MGF supports output of a variable length. In this respect, a MGF can be viewed as a <a href="/facts/Extendable-output_function/EefbSTfz">extendable-output function</a> (XOF): it can accept input of any length and process it to produce output of any length. Mask generation functions are completely deterministic: for any given input and any desired output length the output is always the same. </p>