math::randomorg(3pm) [debian man page]
Math::RandomOrg(3pm) User Contributed Perl Documentation Math::RandomOrg(3pm) NAME
Math::RandomOrg - Retrieve random numbers and data from random.org. SYNOPSIS
use Math::RandomOrg qw(randnum randbyte); my $number = randnum(0, 10); my $octet = randbyte(1); DESCRIPTION
Math::RandomOrg provides functions for retrieving random data from the random.org server. Data may be retrieved in an integer or byte- stream format using the "randnum" and "randbyte" functions respectively. REQUIRES
Carp Exporter Math::BigInt LWP::Simple EXPORT
None by default. You may request the following symbols be exported: * randnum * randbyte FUNCTIONS
"checkbuf()" This routine takes no parameters and simply returns a single value (e.g., "28%") telling you how full the buffer is. At 100%, the buf- fer is full and you are free to hit it with automated clients. At 0%, the buffer is empty and requests will hang. When less than 100%, the buffer is being filled continually, but doing so takes time. I advise people with automated clients to check the buffer level every once in a while and only issue requests when the buffer level is 20% or higher. "randnum ( $min, $max )" Return an integer (specifically a Math::BigInt object) between the bounds [ $min, $max ] (inclusive). By default, $max and $min are positive and negative 1e9, respectively. These default values represent random.org's current extrema for the bounds of the randnum function. Therefore, $min and $max may not exceed the default values. "randbyte ( $length )" Returns an octet-string of specified length (defaults to one byte), which contains random bytes. $length may not exceed 16,384, as this is the maximum number of bytes retrievable from the random.org server in one request, and making multiple requests for an unbounded amount of data would unfairly tax the random.org server. If you need large amounts of random data, you may wish to try the Math::TrulyRandom module. "randseq ( $min, $max )" The randseq script returns a randomized sequence of numbers. This corresponds to dropping a number of lottery tickets into a hat and drawing them out in random order. Hence, each number in a randomized sequence occurs exactly once. Example: "randseq(1, 10)" will return the numbers between 1 and 10 (both inclusive) in a random order. BUGS
None known. SEE ALSO
* Math::TrulyRandom * rand COPYRIGHT
Copyright (c) 2001-2006 Gregory Todd Williams. All rights reserved. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. AUTHOR
Gregory Todd Williams "<gwilliams@cpan.org>" perl v5.8.8 2008-03-09 Math::RandomOrg(3pm)
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Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomOrg(3pm) User Contributed Perl Documentation Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomOrg(3pm) NAME
Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomOrg - download entropy from random.org SYNOPSIS
use Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomOrg; my $rawsrc = Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomOrg->new; $c = $rawsrc->getc; # and the rest of the I/O handle interface DESCRIPTION
This class provides an I/O handle connected to a stream of random octets being generated by an electromagnetic noise detector connected to the random.org server. This is a strong source of random bits, but is not suitable for security applications because the bits are passed over the Internet unencrypted. The handle implements a substantial subset of the interface described in IO::Handle. For use as a general entropy source, it is recommended to wrap an object of this class using "Data::Entropy::Source", which provides methods to extract entropy in more convenient forms than mere octets. The bits generated at random.org are, theoretically and as far as anyone can tell, totally unbiased and uncorrelated. However, they are sent over the Internet in the clear, and so are subject to interception and alteration by an adversary. This is therefore generally unsuitable for security applications. The capacity of the random bit server is also limited. This class will slow down requests if the server's entropy pool is less than half full, and (as requested by the server operators) pause entirely if the entropy pool is less than 20% full. Applications requiring secret entropy should generate it locally (see Data::Entropy::RawSource::Local). Applications requiring a large amount of entropy should generate it locally or download it from randomnumbers.info (see Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomnumbersInfo). Applications requiring a large amount of apparently-random data, but not true entropy, might prefer to fake it cryptographically (see Data::Entropy::RawSource::CryptCounter). CONSTRUCTOR
Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomOrg->new Creates and returns a handle object referring to a stream of random octets generated by random.org. METHODS
A subset of the interfaces described in IO::Handle and IO::Seekable are provided: $rawsrc->read(BUFFER, LENGTH[, OFFSET]) $rawsrc->getc $rawsrc->ungetc(ORD) $rawsrc->eof Buffered reading from the source, as in IO::Handle. $rawsrc->sysread(BUFFER, LENGTH[, OFFSET]) Unbuffered reading from the source, as in IO::Handle. $rawsrc->close Does nothing. $rawsrc->opened Retruns true to indicate that the source is available for I/O. $rawsrc->clearerr $rawsrc->error Error handling, as in IO::Handle. The buffered ("read" et al) and unbuffered ("sysread" et al) sets of methods are interchangeable, because no such distinction is made by this class. Methods to write to the file are unimplemented because the stream is fundamentally read-only. Methods to seek are unimplemented because the stream is non-rewindable; "ungetc" works, however. SEE ALSO
Data::Entropy::RawSource::CryptCounter, Data::Entropy::RawSource::Local, Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomnumbersInfo, Data::Entropy::Source, <http://www.random.org> AUTHOR
Andrew Main (Zefram) <zefram@fysh.org> COPYRIGHT
Copyright (C) 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011 Andrew Main (Zefram) <zefram@fysh.org> LICENSE
This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. perl v5.12.3 2011-05-09 Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomOrg(3pm)