1Data::Entropy::RawSourcUes:e:rRaCnodnotmrniDubamutbtaee:rd:sEIPnnetfrrolo(p3Dy)o:c:uRmaewnStoautricoen::RandomnumbersInfo(3)
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NAME

6       Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomnumbersInfo - download entropy from
7       randomnumbers.info
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SYNOPSIS

10               use Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomnumbersInfo;
11
12               my $rawsrc = Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomnumbersInfo->new;
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14               $c = $rawsrc->getc;
15               # and the rest of the I/O handle interface
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DESCRIPTION

18       This class provides an I/O handle connected to a stream of random
19       octets being generated by a quantum random number generator (from the
20       company id Quantique) connected to the randomnumbers.info server at the
21       University of Geneva.  This is a strong source of random bits, but is
22       not suitable for security applications because the bits are passed over
23       the Internet unencrypted.  The handle implements a substantial subset
24       of the interface described in IO::Handle.
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26       For use as a general entropy source, it is recommended to wrap an
27       object of this class using "Data::Entropy::Source", which provides
28       methods to extract entropy in more convenient forms than mere octets.
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30       The bits generated at randomnumbers.info are, theoretically and as far
31       as anyone can tell, totally unbiased and uncorrelated.  However, they
32       are sent over the Internet in the clear, and so are subject to
33       interception and alteration by an adversary.  This is therefore
34       generally unsuitable for security applications.  Applications requiring
35       secret entropy should generate it locally (see
36       Data::Entropy::RawSource::Local).  Applications requiring a large
37       amount of apparently-random data, but not true entropy, might prefer to
38       fake it cryptographically (see Data::Entropy::RawSource::CryptCounter).
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CONSTRUCTOR

41       Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomnumbersInfo->new
42           Creates and returns a handle object referring to a stream of random
43           octets generated by randomnumbers.info.
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METHODS

46       A subset of the interfaces described in IO::Handle and IO::Seekable are
47       provided:
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49       $rawsrc->read(BUFFER, LENGTH[, OFFSET])
50       $rawsrc->getc
51       $rawsrc->ungetc(ORD)
52       $rawsrc->eof
53           Buffered reading from the source, as in IO::Handle.
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55       $rawsrc->sysread(BUFFER, LENGTH[, OFFSET])
56           Unbuffered reading from the source, as in IO::Handle.
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58       $rawsrc->close
59           Does nothing.
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61       $rawsrc->opened
62           Retruns true to indicate that the source is available for I/O.
63
64       $rawsrc->clearerr
65       $rawsrc->error
66           Error handling, as in IO::Handle.
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68       The buffered ("read" et al) and unbuffered ("sysread" et al) sets of
69       methods are interchangeable, because no such distinction is made by
70       this class.
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72       Methods to write to the file are unimplemented because the stream is
73       fundamentally read-only.  Methods to seek are unimplemented because the
74       stream is non-rewindable; "ungetc" works, however.
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SEE ALSO

77       Data::Entropy::RawSource::CryptCounter,
78       Data::Entropy::RawSource::Local, Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomOrg,
79       Data::Entropy::Source, <http://www.randomnumbers.info>
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AUTHOR

82       Andrew Main (Zefram) <zefram@fysh.org>
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85       Copyright (C) 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011 Andrew Main (Zefram)
86       <zefram@fysh.org>
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LICENSE

89       This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
90       under the same terms as Perl itself.
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94perl v5.30.1                    Da2t0a2:0:-E0n1t-r2o9py::RawSource::RandomnumbersInfo(3)
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