(Tcl) 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 Tcl Extension Downloads Chilkat Tcl Extension Downloads

load ./chilkat.dll

# All Chilkat classes can be unlocked at once at the beginning of a program
# by calling UnlockBundle.  It requires a Bundle unlock code.
set chilkatGlob [new_CkGlobal]

set success [CkGlobal_UnlockBundle $chilkatGlob "Anything for 30-day trial."]
if {$success != 1} then {
    puts [CkGlobal_lastErrorText $chilkatGlob]
    delete_CkGlobal $chilkatGlob
    exit
}

set fortuna [new_CkPrng]

# Generate random data and periodically add entropy...
set success [CkPrng_AddEntropy $fortuna [CkPrng_getEntropy $fortuna 32 "hex"] "hex"]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna 16 hex]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna 16 hex]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna 16 hex]
set success [CkPrng_AddEntropy $fortuna [CkPrng_getEntropy $fortuna 16 "hex"] "hex"]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna 16 hex]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna 16 hex]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna 16 hex]
set success [CkPrng_AddEntropy $fortuna [CkPrng_getEntropy $fortuna 16 "hex"] "hex"]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna 16 hex]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna 16 hex]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna 16 hex]
set success [CkPrng_AddEntropy $fortuna [CkPrng_getEntropy $fortuna 16 "hex"] "hex"]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna 16 hex]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna 16 hex]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna 16 hex]

set exportedEntropy [CkPrng_exportEntropy $fortuna]
# 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:
set fortuna2 [new_CkPrng]

set success [CkPrng_ImportEntropy $fortuna2 $exportedEntropy]

# Generate more random data, continuing to add entropy as we go along..
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna2 16 hex]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna2 16 hex]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna2 16 hex]
set success [CkPrng_AddEntropy $fortuna2 [CkPrng_getEntropy $fortuna2 16 "hex"] "hex"]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna2 16 hex]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna2 16 hex]
puts [CkPrng_genRandom $fortuna2 16 hex]
set success [CkPrng_AddEntropy $fortuna2 [CkPrng_getEntropy $fortuna2 16 "hex"] "hex"]
# ..

delete_CkGlobal $chilkatGlob
delete_CkPrng $fortuna
delete_CkPrng $fortuna2