openssl/doc/man3/RAND_add.pod

=pod

=head1 NAME

RAND_add, RAND_seed, RAND_status, RAND_event, RAND_screen - add
randomness to the PRNG

=head1 SYNOPSIS

 #include <openssl/rand.h>

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

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

 int  RAND_status(void);

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

=head1 DESCRIPTION

RAND_add() mixes the B<num> bytes at B<buf> into the PRNG state. Thus,
if the data at B<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
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 IETF RFC 4086.

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

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

On systems that provide C</dev/urandom> or similar source of randomess,
it will be used
to seed the PRNG transparently. On older systems, however, it might
be necessary to use RAND_add(), L<RAND_egd(3)> or L<RAND_load_file(3)>.

RAND_event() and RAND_screen() are deprecated and should not be called.

=head1 RETURN VALUES

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

RAND_event() calls RAND_poll() and returns RAND_status().

RAND_screen calls RAND_poll().

The other functions do not return values.

=head1 HISTORY

RAND_event() and RAND_screen() are deprecated since OpenSSL
1.1.0.  Use the functions described above instead.

=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