---
name: "Crypt::Random::Source"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "libcrypt-random-source-perl"
version: "0.14-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Crypt::Random::Source"
---

# Crypt::Random::Source(3pm)

Get weak or strong random data from pluggable sources

## NAME

Crypt::Random::Source - Get weak or strong random data from pluggable sources

## VERSION

version 0.14

## SYNOPSIS

```
    use Crypt::Random::Source qw(get_strong);
    # get 10 cryptographically strong random bytes from an available source
    my $bytes = get_strong(10);
```

## DESCRIPTION

This module provides implementations for a number of byte oriented sources of random data.

See Crypt::Random::Source::Factory for a more powerful way to locate sources, and the various sources for specific implementations.

## EXPORTS

- get

  - get\_weak

  - get\_strong

  These functions delegate to a source chosen by an instance of Crypt::Random::Source::Factory, calling get

## CAVEATS

In versions prior to 0.13, `"rand"` could be used as a result of calling `"get_weak"`, or `"get"`, if no random device was available. This implies that not explicitly asking for `"get_strong"` on a non POSIX operating system (e.g. Win32 without the Win32 backend) could have resulted in non cryptographically random data.

Relatedly, the characterization of `"urandom"` as a weak source of randomness is also largely a misconception, see \<https://www.2uo.de/myths-about-urandom/\> for example.

## SEE ALSO

Crypt::Random, Crypt::Util

## SUPPORT

Bugs may be submitted through the RT bug tracker \<https://rt.cpan.org/Public/Dist/Display.html?Name=Crypt-Random-Source\> (or bug-Crypt-Random-Source@rt.cpan.org \<mailto:bug-Crypt-Random-Source@rt.cpan.org\>).

## AUTHOR

XXXX XXX'XX (Yuval Kogman) \<nothingmuch@woobling.org\>

## CONTRIBUTORS

- •

  Karen Etheridge \<ether@cpan.org\>

- •

  Florian Ragwitz \<rafl@debian.org\>

- •

  Graham Knop \<haarg@haarg.org\>

- •

  David Pottage \<spudsoup@cpan.org\>

- •

  Max Kanat-Alexander \<mkanat@es-compy.(none)\>

- •

  Edward Betts \<edward@4angle.com\>

## COPYRIGHT AND LICENCE

This software is copyright (c) 2008 by Yuval Kogman.

This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.