NAME

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

SYNOPSIS

               use Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomnumbersInfo;

               my $rawsrc = Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomnumbersInfo->new;

               $c = $rawsrc->getc;
               # and the rest of the I/O handle interface

DESCRIPTION

       This class provides an I/O handle connected to a stream of random octets being generated
       by a quantum random number generator (from the company id Quantique) connected to the
       randomnumbers.info server at the University of Geneva.  This is a strong source of random
       bits, but is not suitable for security applications because the bits are passed over the
       Internet unencrypted.  The handle implements a substantial subset of the interface
       described in IO::Handle.

       For use as a general entropy source, it is recommended to wrap an object of this class
       using "Data::Entropy::Source", which provides methods to extract entropy in more
       convenient forms than mere octets.

       The bits generated at randomnumbers.info are, theoretically and as far as anyone can tell,
       totally unbiased and uncorrelated.  However, they are sent over the Internet in the clear,
       and so are subject to interception and alteration by an adversary.  This is therefore
       generally unsuitable for security applications.  Applications requiring secret entropy
       should generate it locally (see Data::Entropy::RawSource::Local).  Applications requiring
       a large amount of apparently-random data, but not true entropy, might prefer to fake it
       cryptographically (see Data::Entropy::RawSource::CryptCounter).

CONSTRUCTOR

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

METHODS

       A subset of the interfaces described in IO::Handle and IO::Seekable are provided:

       $rawsrc->read(BUFFER, LENGTH[, OFFSET])
       $rawsrc->getc
       $rawsrc->ungetc(ORD)
       $rawsrc->eof
           Buffered reading from the source, as in IO::Handle.

       $rawsrc->sysread(BUFFER, LENGTH[, OFFSET])
           Unbuffered reading from the source, as in IO::Handle.

       $rawsrc->close
           Does nothing.

       $rawsrc->opened
           Retruns true to indicate that the source is available for I/O.

       $rawsrc->clearerr
       $rawsrc->error
           Error handling, as in IO::Handle.

       The buffered ("read" et al) and unbuffered ("sysread" et al) sets of methods are
       interchangeable, because no such distinction is made by this class.

       Methods to write to the file are unimplemented because the stream is fundamentally read-
       only.  Methods to seek are unimplemented because the stream is non-rewindable; "ungetc"
       works, however.

SEE ALSO

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

AUTHOR

       Andrew Main (Zefram) <zefram@fysh.org>

COPYRIGHT

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

LICENSE

       This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same
       terms as Perl itself.

perl v5.34.0                                2022-Data::Entropy::RawSource::RandomnumbersInfo(3pm)