diff --git a/phpseclib/File/ASN1.php b/phpseclib/File/ASN1.php
index 295a2b72..9594580e 100644
--- a/phpseclib/File/ASN1.php
+++ b/phpseclib/File/ASN1.php
@@ -1348,27 +1348,6 @@ abstract class ASN1
         return $temp != false ? $temp : $str;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * DER-decode the length
-     *
-     * DER supports lengths up to (2**8)**127, however, we'll only support lengths up to (2**8)**4.  See
-     * {@link http://itu.int/ITU-T/studygroups/com17/languages/X.690-0207.pdf#p=13 X.690 paragraph 8.1.3} for more information.
-     *
-     * @access public
-     * @param string $string
-     * @return int
-     */
-    public static function decodeLength(&$string)
-    {
-        $length = ord(Strings::shift($string));
-        if ($length & 0x80) { // definite length, long form
-            $length&= 0x7F;
-            $temp = Strings::shift($string, $length);
-            list(, $length) = unpack('N', substr(str_pad($temp, 4, chr(0), STR_PAD_LEFT), -4));
-        }
-        return $length;
-    }
-
     /**
      * DER-encode the length
      *