Well not really... /dev/random is a true random number (unless you're on a system which links it to /dev/urandom, which is a pseudo random # generator). /dev/random can generate true random numbers by getting it's data from mouse/keyboard movements, and also you can some hardware which generates random numbers from static, etc. I'm not sure exactly what the crypto API does, but I doubt if it's truly random.
Russ > -----Original Message----- > From: Dave Watts [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 11:47 AM > To: CF-Talk > Subject: RE: GPG and cfexecute, or... > > > I wonder where GPG gets it's source of entropy, since there's > > no /dev/random or /dev/urandom on windows... I guess it's > > just some pseudo windows random numbers which can probably be > > easily cracked... > > Uh, you do know that all "random" numbers on computers are pseudo-random, > right? And that /dev/random is just a program, not some magic entropy > provider? The analog of /dev/random on Windows is contained within the MS > CryptoAPI seed functions, if I recall correctly. There are also third- > party > randomization libraries available, some of which use peer-reviewed > pseudo-random number generation algorithms. > > Dave Watts, CTO, Fig Leaf Software > http://www.figleaf.com/ > > Fig Leaf Software provides the highest caliber vendor-authorized > instruction at our training centers in Washington DC, Atlanta, > Chicago, Baltimore, Northern Virginia, or on-site at your location. > Visit http://training.figleaf.com/ for more information! > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Introducing the Fusion Authority Quarterly Update. 80 pages of hard-hitting, up-to-date ColdFusion information by your peers, delivered to your door four times a year. http://www.fusionauthority.com/quarterly Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/message.cfm/forumid:4/messageid:246140 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4
