Random\Engine\Secure
PHP Manual

Random\Engine\Secure::generate

Generate cryptographically secure randomness

Description

public string Random\Engine\Secure::generate()

Returns cryptographically secure randomness.

The sources of randomness in the order of priority are as follows:

  • Linux: » getrandom(), /dev/urandom

  • FreeBSD >= 12 (PHP >= 7.3): » getrandom(), /dev/urandom

  • Windows (PHP >= 7.2): » CNG-API

    Windows: » CryptGenRandom

  • macOS (PHP >= 8.2; >= 8.1.9; >= 8.0.22 if CCRandomGenerateBytes is available at compile time): CCRandomGenerateBytes()

    macOS (PHP >= 8.1; >= 8.0.2): arc4random_buf(), /dev/urandom

  • NetBSD >= 7 (PHP >= 7.1; >= 7.0.1): arc4random_buf(), /dev/urandom

  • OpenBSD >= 5.5 (PHP >= 7.1; >= 7.0.1): arc4random_buf(), /dev/urandom

  • DragonflyBSD (PHP >= 8.1): » getrandom(), /dev/urandom

  • Solaris (PHP >= 8.1): » getrandom(), /dev/urandom

  • Any combination of operating system and PHP version not previously mentioned: /dev/urandom
  • If none of the sources are available or they all fail to generate randomness, then a Random\RandomException will be thrown.

Parameters

This function has no parameters.

Return Values

A string containing PHP_INT_SIZE cryptographically secure random bytes.

Errors/Exceptions

  • If an appropriate source of randomness cannot be found, a Random\RandomException will be thrown.