Manual Pages for UNIX Operating System command usage for man RAND_status

OpenSSL                                        RAND_add(3openssl)



NNNNAAAAMMMMEEEE
     RAND_add, RAND_seed, RAND_status, RAND_event, RAND_screen -
     add entropy to the PRNG

SSSSYYYYNNNNOOOOPPPPSSSSIIIISSSS
      #include 

      void RAND_seed(const void *buf, int num);

      void RAND_add(const void *buf, int num, double entropy);

      int  RAND_status(void);

      int  RAND_event(UINT iMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam);
      void RAND_screen(void);


DDDDEEEESSSSCCCCRRRRIIIIPPPPTTTTIIIIOOOONNNN
     RAND_add() mixes the nnnnuuuummmm bytes at bbbbuuuuffff into the PRNG state.
     Thus, if the data at bbbbuuuuffff are unpredictable to an adversary,
     this increases the uncertainty about the state and makes the
     PRNG output less predictable. Suitable input comes from user
     interaction (random key presses, mouse movements) and
     certain hardware events. The eeeennnnttttrrrrooooppppyyyy argument is (the lower
     bound of) an estimate of how much randomness is contained in
     bbbbuuuuffff, measured in bytes. Details about sources of randomness
     and how to estimate their entropy can be found in the
     literature, e.g. RFC 1750.

     RAND_add() may be called with sensitive data such as user
     entered passwords. The seed values cannot be recovered from
     the PRNG output.

     OpenSSL makes sure that the PRNG state is unique for each
     thread. On systems that provide /dev/urandom, the randomness
     device is used to seed the PRNG transparently. However, on
     all other systems, the application is responsible for
     seeding the PRNG by calling RAND_add(), RAND_egd(3) or
     RAND_load_file(3).

     RAND_seed() is equivalent to RAND_add() when nnnnuuuummmm ======== eeeennnnttttrrrrooooppppyyyy.

     RAND_event() collects the entropy from Windows events such
     as mouse movements and other user interaction. It should be
     called with the iiiiMMMMssssgggg, wwwwPPPPaaaarrrraaaammmm and llllPPPPaaaarrrraaaammmm arguments of all
     messages sent to the window procedure. It will estimate the
     entropy contained in the event message (if any), and add it
     to the PRNG. The program can then process the messages as
     usual.

     The RAND_screen() function is available for the convenience
     of Windows programmers. It adds the current contents of the



22/Mar/2000            Last change: 0.9.8o                      1






OpenSSL                                        RAND_add(3openssl)



     screen to the PRNG.  For applications that can catch Windows
     events, seeding the PRNG by calling RAND_event() is a
     significantly better source of randomness. It should be
     noted that both methods cannot be used on servers that run
     without user interaction.

RRRREEEETTTTUUUURRRRNNNN VVVVAAAALLLLUUUUEEEESSSS
     RAND_status() and RAND_event() return 1 if the PRNG has been
     seeded with enough data, 0 otherwise.

     The other functions do not return values.

SSSSEEEEEEEE AAAALLLLSSSSOOOO
     rand(3), RAND_egd(3), RAND_load_file(3), RAND_cleanup(3)

HHHHIIIISSSSTTTTOOOORRRRYYYY
     RAND_seed() and RAND_screen() are available in all versions
     of SSLeay and OpenSSL. RAND_add() and RAND_status() have
     been added in OpenSSL 0.9.5, RAND_event() in OpenSSL 0.9.5a.




































22/Mar/2000            Last change: 0.9.8o                      2