(C# UWP/WinRT) Exporting and Importing Accumulated Entropy

When a system starts, a good established source of entropy may be lacking. The Fortuna algorithm keeps 32 internal entropy pools. When AddEntropy is called, it is added to these internal pools. (The details of the Fortuna algorithm can be read elsewhere.)

This example demonstrates how the entropy that has accumulated within the internal pools can be exported (such as when an application exits) and then imported when an application starts. (It is the application's job to persist the exported entropy to a database, file, etc.)

Importing entropy helps ensure an application is beginning with an adequate source of entropy for random number generation.

Chilkat Universal Windows Platform (UWP) / WinRT Downloads Chilkat for the Universal Windows Platform (UWP)

// All Chilkat classes can be unlocked at once at the beginning of a program
// by calling UnlockBundle.  It requires a Bundle unlock code.
Chilkat.Global chilkatGlob = new Chilkat.Global();
bool success = chilkatGlob.UnlockBundle("Anything for 30-day trial.");
if (success != true) {
    Debug.WriteLine(chilkatGlob.LastErrorText);
    return;
}

Chilkat.Prng fortuna = new Chilkat.Prng();

// Generate random data and periodically add entropy...
success = fortuna.AddEntropy(fortuna.GetEntropy(32,"hex"),"hex");
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
success = fortuna.AddEntropy(fortuna.GetEntropy(16,"hex"),"hex");
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
success = fortuna.AddEntropy(fortuna.GetEntropy(16,"hex"),"hex");
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
success = fortuna.AddEntropy(fortuna.GetEntropy(16,"hex"),"hex");
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna.GenRandom(16,"hex"));

string exportedEntropy = fortuna.ExportEntropy();
// The application would persist the exported entropy in some way,
// such as to a file, or to a database, etc.

// Create a new PRNG object and initialize the internal entropy pools
// with the previously exported entropy:
Chilkat.Prng fortuna2 = new Chilkat.Prng();
success = fortuna2.ImportEntropy(exportedEntropy);

// Generate more random data, continuing to add entropy as we go along..
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna2.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna2.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna2.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
success = fortuna2.AddEntropy(fortuna2.GetEntropy(16,"hex"),"hex");
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna2.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna2.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
Debug.WriteLine(fortuna2.GenRandom(16,"hex"));
success = fortuna2.AddEntropy(fortuna2.GetEntropy(16,"hex"),"hex");
// ..