[erlang-questions] crypto:rand_bytes/3

[Emad El-Haraty]

Hi,

Browsing through crypto.erl, I noticed the exported but undocumented
function crypto:rand_bytes/3.
The three parameters it takes are: Bytes, Topmask, Bottommask
Bytes is the number of random bytes you would like generated
Topmask is the value that will be used in performing a bitwise or on
the final byte (of the bytes generated)
Bottommask is the value the will be used in performing a bitwise or on
the first byte.

        RAND_pseudo_bytes(bin->orig_bytes,rlen);
        or_mask = ((unsigned char*)buf)[4];
        bin->orig_bytes[rlen-1] |= or_mask; /* topmask */
        or_mask = ((unsigned char*)buf)[5];
        bin->orig_bytes[0] |= or_mask; /* bottommask */

Just out of curiosity, what use would someone have for this ability to
mask only the first or final bytes of a randomly generated set of
bytes?


-- 
Emad El-Haraty
"I sure wish there was a way to transform c source into some sort of
machine code"