# Is the first version of the Message-Digest algorithm by Ronald Rivest publically available?

Diving into the history and evolution of the Message-Digest algorithm by Ronald Rivest, I have been able to track back papers from MD6 down to MD2. Yet, somehow I can not seem to be able to find any papers, specifications or even the slightest indications of MD1.

As the numbering (MD2, MD4, MD5, MD6) seems to be a constant, it would be logic to expect that MD1 did exist at some point in the past. Since I can not find anything related, I'm reaching out for help...

Has MD1 ever been published or was MD2 indeed the first Message-Digest algorithm that Ronald Rivest showed to the world? And if MD1 has been published, where can I find that publication (or a copy of it)?

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The talk page on Wikipedia has some information, if you haven't seen it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AMD4. It suggests MD1 as such never existed, but was instead just MD (and was never published) and that MD3 was a failed experiment; apparently there exists a specification somewhere (I cannot find the referenced document 1335: MD2, MD4, MD5, SHA and other hash functions. M.J.B. Robshaw). The best way to know would be to send the author an email, though :p – Thomas Aug 31 '13 at 10:54
@Thomas [+1] For that wikipedia talk page link. Obviously, I'm not the first one stumbling over the MD(1) question. Couldn't find any trace of 1335 though. Anyway, I just pushed the send button on that email... not that I have high hopes in receiving a reply though. (They probably get flooded with emails daily.) But in case I receive a reply, I'll be sure to post any usable, related, contained information here. I can't imagine having a better reference than the original source. ;) – e-sushi Aug 31 '13 at 13:15
Keeping you updated: until today, I have not received a single reply from Mr. Rivest's office. – e-sushi Sep 15 '13 at 1:45