RAND_add(3) OpenSSL RAND_add(3)NAME
RAND_add, RAND_seed, RAND_status, RAND_event, RAND_screen - add entropy
to the PRNG
SYNOPSIS
#include <openssl/rand.h>
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);
DESCRIPTIONRAND_add() mixes the num bytes at buf into the PRNG state. Thus, if the
data at buf 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 entropy argument is (the
lower bound of) an estimate of how much randomness is contained in buf,
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 num == entropy.
RAND_event() collects the entropy from Windows events such as mouse
movements and other user interaction. It should be called with the
iMsg, wParam and lParam 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 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.
RETURN VALUESRAND_status() and RAND_event() return 1 if the PRNG has been seeded
with enough data, 0 otherwise.
The other functions do not return values.
SEE ALSOrand(3), RAND_egd(3), RAND_load_file(3), RAND_cleanup(3)HISTORYRAND_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.
3rd Berkeley Distribution 0.9.7b RAND_add(3)
