randomBytes entropy or PRNG?

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pkocsis
Posts: 105
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2006 7:20 am

randomBytes entropy or PRNG?

Post by pkocsis » Sun Mar 20, 2016 4:32 am

I am trying a linux standalone on linux mint 17.3 built with LC 6.7.10. Part of my test involves the use of randomBytes.

My question is:
How do I know if revsecurity.so/randomBytes is indeed pulling data from an entropy pool vs falling back to the use of a PRNG? I ask because the same test on OSX is very slow in how much randomBytes it can return, presumably because it has to wait until enough entropy is gathered/replenished. The test on Windows can return randomBytes at lightening speed, presumably because there is no entropy pool and a PRNG is just being used. So....my Linux Mint test runs almost exactly like the Windows test when I expected it should/would run more like the OSX test which leads me to believe I may be missing elements or packages in my Mint installation in order to support an actual entropy pool. Any way to definitively know if randomBytes is indeed using an entropy pool vs falling back to a PRNG on Linux?

Thanks!

richmond62
Livecode Opensource Backer
Livecode Opensource Backer
Posts: 9250
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:17 am
Location: Bulgaria

Re: randomBytes entropy or PRNG?

Post by richmond62 » Sun Mar 20, 2016 9:12 am

"entropy pool"?

Where did I stop understanding what goes on with LiveCode? Or, is it me that's not "bonkers"?

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