what happens in the case where the computed octet count is:
-not an integer multiple of the length of salt + passphrase and
-greater than the length of salt + passphrase
?
i presume that exactly "computed octet count" octets are handed to the
message digest algorithm (+ message digest padding), and not an
integer multiple number of instances of salt + passphrase.
Yes.
so the last octet before message digest padding would not be the last
octet of the passphrase, as section 3.6.1.3 says:
Then the salt, followed by the passphrase data is repeatedly hashed
until the number of octets specified by the octet count has been
hashed. The one exception is that if the octet count is less than
the size of the salt plus passphrase, the full salt plus passphrase
will be hashed even though that is greater than the octet count.
is this correct?
Yes, but I don't believe 3.6.1.3 says that the last octet before message
digest padding would be the last octet of the passphrase.
Hal