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A pseudorandom number generator ( PRNG ), also known as a deterministic random bit generator ( DRBG ), [1] is an algorithm for generating a sequence of numbers whose properties approximate the properties of sequences of random numbers. The PRNG-generated sequence is not truly random, because it is completely determined by an initial value ...
Random number generation is a process by which, often by means of a random number generator ( RNG ), a sequence of numbers or symbols that cannot be reasonably predicted better than by random chance is generated. This means that the particular outcome sequence will contain some patterns detectable in hindsight but impossible to foresee.
Random number generators that use external entropy. These approaches combine a pseudo-random number generator (often in the form of a block or stream cipher) with an external source of randomness (e.g., mouse movements, delay between keyboard presses etc.). /dev/random – Unix-like systems; CryptGenRandom – Microsoft Windows; Fortuna
The term magic number or magic constant refers to the anti-pattern of using numbers directly in source code. This has been referred to as breaking one of the oldest rules of programming, dating back to the COBOL, FORTRAN and PL/1 manuals of the 1960s. [1] The use of unnamed magic numbers in code obscures the developers' intent in choosing that ...
An integer overflow can cause the value to wrap and become negative, which violates the program's assumption and may lead to unexpected behavior (for example, 8-bit integer addition of 127 + 1 results in −128, a two's complement of 128). (A solution for this particular problem is to use unsigned integer types for values that a program expects ...
A random permutation is a random ordering of a set of objects, that is, a permutation -valued random variable. The use of random permutations is often fundamental to fields that use randomized algorithms such as coding theory, cryptography, and simulation. A good example of a random permutation is the shuffling of a deck of cards: this is ...
The number of permutations of n distinct objects is n factorial, usually written as n!, which means the product of all positive integers less than or equal to n. According to the second meaning, a permutation of a set S is defined as a bijection from S to itself.
A cryptographically secure pseudorandom number generator ( CSPRNG) or cryptographic pseudorandom number generator ( CPRNG) is a pseudorandom number generator (PRNG) with properties that make it suitable for use in cryptography. It is also referred to as a cryptographic random number generator ( CRNG ).