DrbgParameters
  public
  
  
  
  class
  DrbgParameters
  
    extends Object
  
  
  
  
  
  
| java.lang.Object | |
| ↳ | java.security.DrbgParameters | 
This class specifies the parameters used by a DRBG (Deterministic Random Bit Generator).
According to NIST Special Publication 800-90A Revision 1, Recommendation for Random Number Generation Using Deterministic Random Bit Generators (800-90Ar1),
A DRBG is based on a DRBG mechanism as specified in this Recommendation and includes a source of randomness. A DRBG mechanism uses an algorithm (i.e., a DRBG algorithm) that produces a sequence of bits from an initial value that is determined by a seed that is determined from the output of the randomness source."
The 800-90Ar1 specification allows for a variety of DRBG implementation choices, such as:
- an entropy source,
- a DRBG mechanism (for example, Hash_DRBG),
-  a DRBG algorithm (for example, SHA-256 for Hash_DRBG and AES-256
 for CTR_DRBG. Please note that it is not the algorithm used in
 SecureRandom.getInstance, which we will call a SecureRandom algorithm below),
- optional features, including prediction resistance and reseeding supports,
- highest security strength.
 These choices are set in each implementation and are not directly
 managed by the SecureRandom API.  Check your DRBG provider's
 documentation to find an appropriate implementation for the situation.
 
On the other hand, the 800-90Ar1 specification does have some configurable options, such as:
- required security strength,
- if prediction resistance is required,
- personalization string and additional input.
 A DRBG instance can be instantiated with parameters from an
 DrbgParameters.Instantiation object and other information
 (for example, the nonce, which is not managed by this API). This maps
 to the Instantiate_function defined in NIST SP 800-90Ar1.
 
 A DRBG instance can be reseeded with parameters from a
 DrbgParameters.Reseed object. This maps to the
 Reseed_function defined in NIST SP 800-90Ar1. Calling
 SecureRandom.reseed() is equivalent to calling
 SecureRandom.reseed(SecureRandomParameters) with the effective
 instantiated prediction resistance flag (as returned by
 SecureRandom.getParameters()) with no additional input.
 
 A DRBG instance generates data with additional parameters from a
 DrbgParameters.NextBytes object. This maps to the
 Generate_function defined in NIST SP 800-90Ar1. Calling
 SecureRandom.nextBytes(byte[]) is equivalent to calling
 SecureRandom.nextBytes(byte[], SecureRandomParameters)
 with the effective instantiated strength and prediction resistance flag
 (as returned by SecureRandom.getParameters()) with no
 additional input.
 
 A DRBG should be implemented as a subclass of SecureRandomSpi.
 It is recommended that the implementation contain the 1-arg
 constructor
 that takes a DrbgParameters.Instantiation argument. If implemented
 this way, this implementation can be chosen by any
 SecureRandom.getInstance() method. If it is chosen by a
 SecureRandom.getInstance() with a SecureRandomParameters
 parameter, the parameter is passed into this constructor. If it is chosen
 by a SecureRandom.getInstance() without a
 SecureRandomParameters parameter, the constructor is called with
 a null argument and the implementation should choose its own
 parameters. Its SecureRandom.getParameters() must always return a
 non-null effective DrbgParameters.Instantiation object that reflects
 how the DRBG is actually instantiated. A caller can use this information
 to determine whether a SecureRandom object is a DRBG and what
 features it supports. Please note that the returned value does not
 necessarily equal to the DrbgParameters.Instantiation object passed
 into the SecureRandom.getInstance() call. For example,
 the requested capability can be DrbgParameters.Capability.NONE
 but the effective value can be DrbgParameters.Capability.RESEED_ONLY
 if the implementation supports reseeding. The implementation must implement
 the SecureRandomSpi.engineNextBytes(byte[], SecureRandomParameters)
 method which takes a DrbgParameters.NextBytes parameter. Unless
 the result of SecureRandom.getParameters() has its
 capability being
 NONE, it must implement
 SecureRandomSpi.engineReseed(SecureRandomParameters) which takes
 a DrbgParameters.Reseed parameter.
 
 On the other hand, if a DRBG implementation does not contain a constructor
 that has an DrbgParameters.Instantiation argument (not recommended),
 it can only be chosen by a SecureRandom.getInstance() without
 a SecureRandomParameters parameter, but will not be chosen if
 a getInstance method with a SecureRandomParameters parameter
 is called. If implemented this way, its SecureRandom.getParameters()
 must return null, and it does not need to implement either
 SecureRandomSpi.engineNextBytes(byte[], SecureRandomParameters)
 or SecureRandomSpi.engineReseed(SecureRandomParameters).
 
A DRBG might reseed itself automatically if the seed period is bigger than the maximum seed life defined by the DRBG mechanism.
A DRBG implementation should support serialization and deserialization by retaining the configuration and effective parameters, but the internal state must not be serialized and the deserialized object must be reinstantiated.
Examples:
SecureRandom drbg; byte[] buffer = new byte[32]; // Any DRBG is OK drbg = SecureRandom.getInstance("DRBG"); drbg.nextBytes(buffer); SecureRandomParameters params = drbg.getParameters(); if (params instanceof DrbgParameters.Instantiation) { DrbgParameters.Instantiation ins = (DrbgParameters.Instantiation) params; if (ins.getCapability().supportsReseeding()) { drbg.reseed(); } } // The following call requests a weak DRBG instance. It is only // guaranteed to support 112 bits of security strength. drbg = SecureRandom.getInstance("DRBG", DrbgParameters.instantiation(112, NONE, null)); // Both the next two calls will likely fail, because drbg could be // instantiated with a smaller strength with no prediction resistance // support. drbg.nextBytes(buffer, DrbgParameters.nextBytes(256, false, "more".getBytes())); drbg.nextBytes(buffer, DrbgParameters.nextBytes(112, true, "more".getBytes())); // The following call requests a strong DRBG instance, with a // personalization string. If it successfully returns an instance, // that instance is guaranteed to support 256 bits of security strength // with prediction resistance available. drbg = SecureRandom.getInstance("DRBG", DrbgParameters.instantiation( 256, PR_AND_RESEED, "hello".getBytes())); // Prediction resistance is not requested in this single call, // but an additional input is used. drbg.nextBytes(buffer, DrbgParameters.nextBytes(-1, false, "more".getBytes())); // Same for this call. drbg.reseed(DrbgParameters.reseed(false, "extra".getBytes()));
Summary
| Nested classes | |
|---|---|
| 
        
        
        
        
        class | DrbgParameters.InstantiationDRBG parameters for instantiation. | 
| 
        
        
        
        
        class | DrbgParameters.NextBytesDRBG parameters for random bits generation. | 
| 
        
        
        
        
        class | DrbgParameters.ReseedDRBG parameters for reseed. | 
| Public methods | |
|---|---|
| 
        
        
        static
        
        
        DrbgParameters.Instantiation | 
      instantiation(int strength, DrbgParameters.Capability capability, byte[] personalizationString)
      Generates a  | 
| 
        
        
        static
        
        
        DrbgParameters.NextBytes | 
      nextBytes(int strength, boolean predictionResistance, byte[] additionalInput)
      Generates a  | 
| 
        
        
        static
        
        
        DrbgParameters.Reseed | 
      reseed(boolean predictionResistance, byte[] additionalInput)
      Generates a  | 
| Inherited methods | |
|---|---|
Public methods
instantiation
public static DrbgParameters.Instantiation instantiation (int strength, DrbgParameters.Capability capability, byte[] personalizationString)
Generates a DrbgParameters.Instantiation object.
| Parameters | |
|---|---|
| strength | int: security strength in bits, -1 for default strength
                 if used ingetInstance. | 
| capability | DrbgParameters.Capability: capability | 
| personalizationString | byte: personalization string as a byte array,
                              can benull. The content of this
                              byte array will be copied. | 
| Returns | |
|---|---|
| DrbgParameters.Instantiation | a new Instantiationobject | 
| Throws | |
|---|---|
| NullPointerException | if capabilityisnull | 
| IllegalArgumentException | if strengthis less than -1 | 
nextBytes
public static DrbgParameters.NextBytes nextBytes (int strength, boolean predictionResistance, byte[] additionalInput)
Generates a NextBytes object.
| Parameters | |
|---|---|
| strength | int: requested security strength in bits. If set to -1, the
                 effective strength will be used. | 
| predictionResistance | boolean: prediction resistance requested | 
| additionalInput | byte: additional input, can benull.
                        The content of this byte array will be copied. | 
| Returns | |
|---|---|
| DrbgParameters.NextBytes | a new NextBytesobject | 
| Throws | |
|---|---|
| IllegalArgumentException | if strengthis less than -1 | 
reseed
public static DrbgParameters.Reseed reseed (boolean predictionResistance, byte[] additionalInput)
Generates a Reseed object.
| Parameters | |
|---|---|
| predictionResistance | boolean: prediction resistance requested | 
| additionalInput | byte: additional input, can benull.
                        The content of this byte array will be copied. | 
| Returns | |
|---|---|
| DrbgParameters.Reseed | a new Reseedobject | 
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Last updated 2025-02-10 UTC.
