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freebsd/lib/libc/stdlib/rand.3
Warner Losh dfcc91e219 sranddev() is not magic pixie dust. While it gives a good random
seed, the random number generator rand(3) still sucks and is unlikely
sufficient for crypto use.  Correct what appears to be a cut and paste
error from the srandomdev() man page.

Submitted by: Ben Mesander
2004-11-10 17:25:49 +00:00

122 lines
3.4 KiB
Groff

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.\" @(#)rand.3 8.1 (Berkeley) 6/4/93
.\" $FreeBSD$
.\"
.Dd May 25, 1999
.Dt RAND 3
.Os
.Sh NAME
.Nm rand ,
.Nm srand ,
.Nm sranddev ,
.Nm rand_r
.Nd bad random number generator
.Sh LIBRARY
.Lb libc
.Sh SYNOPSIS
.In stdlib.h
.Ft void
.Fn srand "unsigned seed"
.Ft void
.Fn sranddev void
.Ft int
.Fn rand void
.Ft int
.Fn rand_r "unsigned *ctx"
.Sh DESCRIPTION
.Bf -symbolic
These interfaces are obsoleted by
.Xr random 3 .
.Ef
.Pp
The
.Fn rand
function computes a sequence of pseudo-random integers in the range
of 0 to
.Dv RAND_MAX
(as defined by the header file
.In stdlib.h ) .
.Pp
The
.Fn srand
function sets its argument
.Fa seed
as the seed for a new sequence of
pseudo-random numbers to be returned by
.Fn rand .
These sequences are repeatable by calling
.Fn srand
with the same seed value.
.Pp
If no
.Fa seed
value is provided, the functions are automatically
seeded with a value of 1.
.Pp
The
.Fn sranddev
function initializes a seed using the
.Xr random 4
random number device which returns good random numbers.
However, the
.Fn rand
function still remains unsuitable for cryptographic use.
.Pp
The
.Fn rand_r
function
provides the same functionality as
.Fn rand .
A pointer to the context value
.Fa ctx
must be supplied by the caller.
.Sh SEE ALSO
.Xr random 3 ,
.Xr random 4
.Sh STANDARDS
The
.Fn rand
and
.Fn srand
functions
conform to
.St -isoC .
.Pp
The
.Fn rand_r
function is as proposed in the POSIX.4a Draft #6 document.