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authorJack Lloyd <[email protected]>2016-06-30 13:15:30 -0400
committerJack Lloyd <[email protected]>2016-07-17 10:43:40 -0400
commit93922f20f04058ec624f7db3c74d8aa5a3d06440 (patch)
tree81144cfacced43c68c4385683ee0c123a1987042 /doc
parent4c5847412d41756aab738a3746666cfaffe5d4af (diff)
Add Stateful_RNG
Handles fork checking for HMAC_RNG and HMAC_DRBG AutoSeeded_RNG change - switch to HMAC_DRBG as default. Start removing the io buffer from entropy poller. Update default RNG poll bits to 256. Fix McEliece test, was using wrong RNG API. Update docs.
Diffstat (limited to 'doc')
-rw-r--r--doc/manual/rng.rst133
1 files changed, 51 insertions, 82 deletions
diff --git a/doc/manual/rng.rst b/doc/manual/rng.rst
index 300570c3a..7eb229a5e 100644
--- a/doc/manual/rng.rst
+++ b/doc/manual/rng.rst
@@ -3,108 +3,77 @@
Random Number Generators
========================================
-The random number generators provided in Botan are meant for creating
-keys, IVs, padding, nonces, and anything else that requires 'random'
-data. It is important to remember that the output of these classes
-will vary, even if they are supplied with the same seed (ie, two
-``Randpool`` objects with similar initial states will not produce the
-same output, because the value of high resolution timers is added to
-the state at various points).
-
-To create a random number generator, instantiate a ``AutoSeeded_RNG``
-object. This object will handle choosing the right algorithms from the
-set of enabled ones and doing seeding using OS specific
-routines. The main service a RandomNumberGenerator provides is, of
-course, random numbers:
+The base class ``RandomNumberGenerator`` is in the header ``botan/rng.h``.
-.. cpp:function:: byte RandomNumberGenerator::next_byte()
+The major interfaces are
+
+.. cpp:function:: void RandomNumberGenerator::randomize(byte* output_array, size_t length)
- Generates a single random byte and returns it
+ Places *length* random bytes into the provided buffer.
-.. cpp:function:: void RandomNumberGenerator::randomize(byte* data, size_t length)
+.. cpp:function:: void RandomNumberGenerator::add_entropy(const byte* data, size_t length)
- Places *length* bytes into the array pointed to by *data*
+ Incorporates provided data into the state of the PRNG, if at all
+ possible. This works for most RNG types, including the system and
+ TPM RNGs. But if the RNG doesn't support this operation, the data is
+ dropped, no error is indicated.
-To ensure good quality output, a PRNG needs to be seeded with truly
-random data. Normally this is done for you. However it may happen that
-your application has access to data that is potentially unpredictable
-to an attacker. If so, use
+.. cpp:function:: void RandomNumberGenerator::randomize_with_input(byte* data, size_t length, \
+ const byte* ad, size_t ad_len)
-.. cpp:function:: void RandomNumberGenerator::add_entropy(const byte* data, \
- size_t length)
+ Like randomize, but first incorporates the additional input field
+ into the state of the RNG. The additional input could be anything which
+ parameterizes this request.
-which incorporates the data into the current randomness state. Don't
-worry about filtering the data or doing any kind of cryptographic
-preprocessing (such as hashing); the RNG objects in botan are designed
-such that you can feed them any arbitrary non-random or even
-maliciously chosen data - as long as at some point some of the seed
-data was good the output will be secure.
+.. cpp:function:: byte RandomNumberGenerator::next_byte()
+ Generates a single random byte and returns it. Note that calling this
+ function several times is much slower than calling ``randomize`` once
+ to produce multiple bytes at a time.
-Implementation Notes
+RNG Types
----------------------------------------
-Randpool
-^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+The following RNG types are included
+
+HMAC_DRBG
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+HMAC DRBG is a random number generator designed by NIST and specified
+in SP 800-90A. It can be instantiated with any hash function but is
+typically used with SHA-256, SHA-384, or SHA-512.
-``Randpool`` is the primary PRNG within Botan. In recent versions all
-uses of it have been wrapped by an implementation of the X9.31 PRNG
-(see below). If for some reason you should have cause to create a PRNG
-instead of using the "global" one owned by the library, it would be
-wise to consider the same on the grounds of general caution; while
-``Randpool`` is designed with known attacks and PRNG weaknesses in
-mind, it is not an standard/official PRNG. The remainder of this
-section is a (fairly technical, though high-level) description of the
-algorithms used in this PRNG. Unless you have a specific interest in
-this subject, the rest of this section might prove somewhat
-uninteresting.
-
-``Randpool`` has an internal state called pool, which is 512 bytes
-long. This is where entropy is mixed into and extracted from. There is also a
-small output buffer (called buffer), which holds the data which has already
-been generated but has just not been output yet.
-
-It is based around a MAC and a block cipher (which are currently
-HMAC(SHA-256) and AES-256). Where a specific size is mentioned, it
-should be taken as a multiple of the cipher's block size. For example,
-if a 256-bit block cipher were used instead of AES, all the sizes
-internally would double. Every time some new output is needed, we
-compute the MAC of a counter and a high resolution timer. The
-resulting MAC is XORed into the output buffer (wrapping as needed),
-and the output buffer is then encrypted with AES, producing 16 bytes
-of output.
-
-After 8 blocks (or 128 bytes) have been produced, we mix the pool. To
-do this, we first rekey both the MAC and the cipher; the new MAC key
-is the MAC of the current pool under the old MAC key, while the new
-cipher key is the MAC of the current pool under the just-chosen MAC
-key. We then encrypt the entire pool in CBC mode, using the current
-(unused) output buffer as the IV. We then generate a new output
-buffer, using the mechanism described in the previous paragraph.
-
-To add randomness to the PRNG, we compute the MAC of the input and XOR
-the output into the start of the pool. Then we remix the pool and
-produce a new output buffer. The initial MAC operation should make it
-very hard for chosen inputs to harm the security of ``Randpool``, and
-as HMAC should be able to hold roughly 256 bits of state, it is
-unlikely that we are wasting much input entropy (or, if we are, it
-doesn't matter, because we have a very abundant supply).
+HMAC DRBG seems to be the most conservative generator of the NIST
+approved options.
+
+System_RNG
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+In ``system_rng.h``, objects of ``System_RNG`` reference a single
+(process global) reference to the system PRNG (/dev/urandom or
+CryptGenRandom).
+
+AutoSeeded_RNG
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+This instantiates a new instance of a userspace PRNG, seeds it with
+a default entropy pool.
ANSI X9.31
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+This generator is deprecated and will be removed in a future release.
+
``ANSI_X931_PRNG`` is the standard issue X9.31 Appendix A.2.4 PRNG,
though using AES-256 instead of 3DES as the block cipher. This PRNG
implementation has been checked against official X9.31 test vectors.
-Internally, the PRNG holds a pointer to another PRNG (typically
-Randpool). This internal PRNG generates the key and seed used by the
-X9.31 algorithm, as well as the date/time vectors. Each time an X9.31
-PRNG object receives entropy, it passes it along to the PRNG it is
-holding, and then pulls out some random bits to generate a new key and
-seed. This PRNG considers itself seeded as soon as the internal PRNG
-is seeded.
-
+Internally, the PRNG holds a pointer to another RNG object. This
+internal PRNG generates the key and seed used by the X9.31 algorithm,
+as well as the date/time vectors. Each time an X9.31 PRNG object
+receives entropy, it passes it along to the PRNG it is holding, and
+then pulls out some random bits to generate a new key and seed. This
+PRNG considers itself seeded as soon as the internal PRNG is seeded.
Entropy Sources
---------------------------------