NAME

Crypt::OpenSSL::Random - Routines for accessing the OpenSSL pseudo-random number generator using the openSSL libraries

SYNOPSIS

  use Crypt::OpenSSL::Random;

  Crypt::OpenSSL::Random::random_seed($good_random_data);
  Crypt::OpenSSL::Random::random_egd("/tmp/entropy");
  Crypt::OpenSSL::Random::random_status() or
    die "Unable to sufficiently seed the random number generator".

  my $ten_good_random_bytes = Crypt::OpenSSL::Random::random_bytes(10);
  my $ten_ok_random_bytes = Crypt::OpenSSL::Random::random_pseudo_bytes(10);

DESCRIPTION

Crypt::OpenSSL::Random provides the ability to seed and query the OpenSSL library's pseudo-random number generator.

EXPORT

None by default.

Static Methods

random_bytes (IV num_bytes): This function, returns a specified number of cryptographically strong pseudo-random bytes from the PRNG. If the PRNG has not been seeded with enough randomness to ensure an unpredictable byte sequence, then a false value is returned.
random_pseudo_bytes (IV num_bytes): This function, is similar to c<random_bytes>, but the resulting sequence of bytes are not necessarily unpredictable. They can be used for non-cryptographic purposes and for certain purposes in cryptographic protocols, but usually not for key generation etc.
random_seed (PV random_bytes_string): This function seeds the PRNG with a supplied string of bytes. It returns true if the PRNG has sufficient seeding. Note: calling this function with non-random bytes is of limited value at best!
random_egd (PV egd_string): This function seeds the PRNG with data from the specified entropy gathering daemon. Returns the number of bytes read from the daemon on success, or -1 if not enough bytes were read, or if the connection to the daemon failed.
random_status (): This function returns true if the PRNG has sufficient seeding.

BUGS

Because of the internal workings of OpenSSL's random library, the pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) accessed by Crypt::OpenSSL::Random will be different than the one accessed by any other perl module. Hence, to use a module such as Crypt::OpenSSL::Random, you will need to seed the PRNG used there from one used here. This class is still advantageous, however, as it centralizes other methods, such as random_egd, in one place.

AUTHOR

Ian Robertson, iroberts@cpan.com

Now maintained by Reini Urban, rurban@cpan.org

LICENSE

This module is available under the same licences as perl, the Artistic license and the GPL.