RANDOM(9)						   BSD Kernel Developer's Manual						 RANDOM(9)

NAME

     arc4rand, arc4random, random, read_random, srandom -- supply pseudo-random numbers

SYNOPSIS

     #include <sys/libkern.h>

     void
     srandom(u_long seed);

     u_long
     random(void);

     void
     arc4rand(void *ptr, u_int length, int reseed);

     uint32_t
     arc4random(void);

     #include <sys/random.h>

     int
     read_random(void *buffer, int count);

DESCRIPTION

     The random() function will by default produce a sequence of numbers that can be duplicated by calling srandom() with '1' as the seed.  The
     srandom() function may be called with any arbitrary seed value to get slightly more unpredictable numbers.  It is important to remember that
     the random() function is entirely predictable, and is therefore not of use where knowledge of the sequence of numbers may be of benefit to an
     attacker.

     The arc4rand() function will return very good quality random numbers, slightly better suited for security-related purposes.  The random num-
     bers from arc4rand() are seeded from the entropy device if it is available.  Automatic reseeds happen after a certain timeinterval and after
     a certain number of bytes have been delivered.  A forced reseed can be forced by passing a non-zero value in the reseed argument.

     The read_random() function is used to return entropy directly from the entropy device if it has been loaded.  If the entropy device is not
     loaded, then the buffer is filled with output generated by random().  The buffer is filled with no more than count bytes.	It is advised that
     read_random() is not used; instead use arc4rand()

     All the bits generated by random(), arc4rand() and read_random() are usable.  For example, 'random()&01' will produce a random binary value.

     The arc4random() is a convenience function which calls arc4rand() to return a 32 bit pseudo-random integer.

RETURN VALUES

     The random() function uses a non-linear additive feedback random number generator employing a default table of size 31 long integers to
     return successive pseudo-random numbers in the range from 0 to (2**31)-1.	The period of this random number generator is very large, approxi-
     mately 16*((2**31)-1).

     The arc4rand() function uses the RC4 algorithm to generate successive pseudo-random bytes.  The arc4random() function uses arc4rand() to gen-
     erate pseudo-random numbers in the range from 0 to (2**32)-1.

     The read_random() function returns the number of bytes placed in buffer.

AUTHORS

     Dan Moschuk wrote arc4random().
     Mark R V Murray wrote read_random().

BSD
								September 25, 2000							       BSD