twofish
Bindings for the Twofish implementation by Niels Ferguson
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
No. The package is abandoned, unmaintained since 2013, and documented only for end-of-life Python versions (2.6–3.3). Modern Python compatibility is unverified. High install friction (compiled C extension + system library) and the explicit warning that it requires external cipher-mode wrapping make it unsuitable for new projects. Use a maintained cryptography library like cryptography or PyCryptodome instead.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires libtwofish-dev system library installed; high compilation friction.
- Designed for Python 2.6–3.3; compatibility with modern Python versions is unverified.
- High install friction: the package requires a compiled C extension and the libtwofish-dev system library.
License · maintenance · safety
3-clause BSD (permissive) — Licensed under 3-clause BSD (permissive), allowing commercial and private use with attribution and liability disclaimer. No restrictions on redistribution or modification.
last release 2013-11-15 (4655 days) · last repo commit 2022-02-27 · 28 stars · archived
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 462,586 downloads/mo, #6,525 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install twofish
from twofish import Twofish
T = Twofish(b'*secret*')
encrypted = T.encrypt(b'YELLOWSUBMARINES')
decrypted = T.decrypt(encrypted)- Whether the package compiles and runs on Python 3.8 or later (only 3.3 is documented)
- Current status of the underlying Niels Ferguson Twofish implementation and any known cryptographic weaknesses
- Whether libtwofish-dev is available in current Linux distributions or requires manual installation
What it is and what it does
Twofish is a Python wrapper around the Twofish block cipher, a symmetric encryption algorithm designed by Niels Ferguson. It exposes a simple API: create a Twofish instance with a binary key (0–32 bytes), then call encrypt() and decrypt() on 16-byte blocks. The library performs a self-test on import to verify the underlying C implementation.
This is a low-level cryptographic primitive, not a complete cipher system. The documentation explicitly warns that it must be used within a proper cipher mode (CTR, CBC, etc.) to be secure; using it directly on plaintext is cryptographically unsafe. The package is unmaintained since 2013 and archived, with no support for modern Python versions beyond 3.3.
Use it for
- Legacy system integration where Twofish is mandated by existing protocols or data formats
- Educational exploration of block cipher mechanics and symmetric encryption primitives
- Decryption of historical data encrypted with Twofish in a supported cipher mode
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
No.
The package is abandoned, unmaintained since 2013, and documented only for end-of-life Python versions (2.6–3.3). Modern Python compatibility is unverified. High install friction (compiled C extension + system library) and the explicit warning that it requires external cipher-mode wrapping make it unsuitable for new projects. Use a maintained cryptography library like cryptography or PyCryptodome instead.
Install
twofish on PyPI
Before you install
High install friction: the package requires a compiled C extension and the libtwofish-dev system library. The project is archived and unmaintained since 2013, with no updates for over a decade. Compatibility claims are limited to Python 2.6, 2.7, and 3.3—all end-of-life versions.
Requires libtwofish-dev system library installed; high compilation friction. Designed for Python 2.6–3.3; compatibility with modern Python versions is unverified.
License in practice
Licensed under 3-clause BSD (permissive), allowing commercial and private use with attribution and liability disclaimer. No restrictions on redistribution or modification.
Quickstart
pip install twofish
from twofish import Twofish
T = Twofish(b'*secret*')
encrypted = T.encrypt(b'YELLOWSUBMARINES')
decrypted = T.decrypt(encrypted)Verify before relying
- Whether the package compiles and runs on Python 3.8 or later (only 3.3 is documented)
- Current status of the underlying Niels Ferguson Twofish implementation and any known cryptographic weaknesses
- Whether libtwofish-dev is available in current Linux distributions or requires manual installation
Package facts
| License | 3-clause BSD permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | High. Source build required |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 4,655 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | repository archived |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 462,586 / month, #6,525 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 4 - BetaIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: BSD LicenseProgramming Language :: Python :: 2.6Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.3Topic :: Security :: CryptographyTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries |
Evidence: twofish-0.3.0.tar.gz
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