openssl/doc/man3/RAND_add.pod

=pod

=head1 NAME

RAND_add, RAND_poll, RAND_seed, RAND_status, RAND_event, RAND_screen
- add randomness to the PRNG or get its status

=head1 SYNOPSIS

 #include <openssl/rand.h>

 int RAND_status(void);
 int RAND_poll();

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

Deprecated:

 #if OPENSSL_API_COMPAT < 0x10100000L
 int RAND_event(UINT iMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam);
 void RAND_screen(void);
 #endif

=head1 DESCRIPTION

Random numbers are a vital part of cryptography, including key generation,
creating salts, etc., and software-based
generators must be "seeded" with external randomness before they can be
used as a cryptographically-secure pseudo-random number generator (CSPRNG).
The availability of common hardware with special instructions and
modern operating systems, which may use items such as interrupt jitter
and network packet timings, can be reasonable sources of seeding material.

RAND_status() indicates whether or not the CSPRNG has been sufficiently
seeded. If not, functions such as RAND_bytes(3) will fail.

RAND_poll() uses the system's capabilities to seed the CSPRNG using
random input obtained from polling various trusted entropy sources.
The default choice of the entropy source can be modified at build time
using the --with-rand-seed configure option, see also the B<NOTES> section.
A summary of the configure options can be displayed with the OpenSSL
L<version(1)> command.

RAND_add() mixes the B<num> bytes at B<buf> into the PRNG state.
The B<randomness> argument is an estimate of how much randomness is
contained in
B<buf>, in bytes, and should be a number between zero and B<num>.
Details about sources of randomness and how to estimate their randomness
can be found in the literature; for example NIST SP 800-90B.
The content of B<buf> cannot be recovered from subsequent CSPRNG output.
This function will not normally be needed, as RAND_poll() should have been
configured to do the appropriate seeding for the local platform.
Applications that need to keep random state in an external file should
use L<RAND_load_file(3)>.

RAND_seed() is equivalent to RAND_add() with B<randomness> set to B<num>.

RAND_event() and RAND_screen() are equivalent to RAND_poll().

=head1 RETURN VALUES

RAND_status() returns 1 if the CSPRNG has been seeded
with enough data, 0 otherwise.

RAND_poll() returns 1 if it generated seed data, 0 otherwise.

RAND_event() returns RAND_status().

The other functions do not return values.

=head1 NOTES

The new OpenSSL DRBG has some peculiarities which need to be taken
into account when it is selected as the default OpenSSL CSPRNG, i.e.,
when RAND_get_rand_method() == RAND_OpenSSL().
This applies in particular to the way reseeding is done by the DRBG:

=over 2

=item *

The DRBG seeds itself automatically, pulling random input from trusted
entropy sources.
Automatic reseeding occurs after a predefined number of generate requests.
The selection of the trusted entropy sources is configured at build
time using the --with-rand-seed option.

=item *

The DRBG distinguishes two different types of random input:
'entropy', which comes from a trusted source, and 'additional input',
which can optionally be added by the user and is considered untrusted.

=back

Automatic seeding can be disabled using the --with-rand-seed=none option.

=head2 DRBG with automatic seeding enabled

Calling RAND_poll() or RAND_add() is not necessary, because the DRBG
polls the entropy source automatically.
However, both calls are permitted, and do reseed the RNG.

RAND_add() can be used to add both kinds of random input, depending on the
value of the B<randomness> argument:

=over 4

=item randomness == 0:

The random bytes are mixed as additional input into the current state of
the DRBG.
Mixing in additional input is not considered a full reseeding, hence the
reseed counter is not reset.


=item randomness > 0:

The random bytes are used as entropy input for a full reseeding
(resp. reinstantiation) if the DRBG is instantiated
(resp. uninstantiated or in an error state).
A reseeding requires 16 bytes (128 bits) of randomness.
It is possible to provide less randomness than required.
In this case the missing randomness will be obtained by pulling random input
from the trusted entropy sources.

=back

=head2 DRBG with automatic seeding disabled (--with-rand-seed=none)

Calling RAND_poll() will always fail.

RAND_add() needs to be called for initial seeding and periodic reseeding.
At least 16 bytes (128 bits) of randomness have to be provided, otherwise
the (re-)seeding of the DRBG will fail.

=head1 HISTORY

RAND_event() and RAND_screen() were deprecated in OpenSSL 1.1.0 and should
not be used.

=head1 SEE ALSO

L<RAND_bytes(3)>, L<RAND_egd(3)>,
L<RAND_load_file(3)>

=head1 COPYRIGHT

Copyright 2000-2017 The OpenSSL Project Authors. All Rights Reserved.

Licensed under the OpenSSL license (the "License").  You may not use
this file except in compliance with the License.  You can obtain a copy
in the file LICENSE in the source distribution or at
L<https://www.openssl.org/source/license.html>.

=cut