secure-random

A simple JavaScript component to normalize the creation of cryptographically strong random values.

Why?

Context switching between the browser and Node.js and creating cryptographically secure random numbers is annoying. This normalizes the behavior. Used by CryptoCoinJS and BitcoinJS.

Install

Node.js/Browserify

npm install --save secure-random

Component

component install jprichardson/secure-random

Bower

bower install secure-random

Script

<script src="/path/to/secure-random.js"></script>

Usage

secureRandom(byteCount, options)

• byteCount: is the number of bytes to return.
• options: options to pass. Only valid value at this time type. type can be either Array, Uint8Array, or Buffer. Buffer is only valid in Node.js or Browserify environments - it will throw an error otherwise.

return an Array:

var bytes = secureRandom(10) //return an Array of 10 bytes
console.log(bytes.length) //10

or:

var bytes = secureRandom(10, {type: 'Array'}) //return an Array of 10 bytes
console.log(bytes.length) //10

return a Buffer:

var bytes = secureRandom(10, {type: 'Buffer'}) //return a Buffer of 10 bytes
console.log(bytes.length) //10

return a Uint8Array:

var bytes = secureRandom(10, {type: 'Uint8Array'}) //return a Uint8Array of 10 bytes
console.log(bytes.length) //10

randomArray(byteCount)

Sugar for secureRandom(byteCount, {type: 'Array'}).

var secureRandom = require('secure-random')
var data = secureRandom.randomArray(10)

randomUint8Array(byteCount)

Sugar for secureRandom(byteCount, {type: 'Uint8Array'}).

var secureRandom = require('secure-random')
var data = secureRandom.randomUint8Array(10)

randomBuffer(byteCount)

Sugar for secureRandom(byteCount, {type: 'Buffer'}).

var secureRandom = require('secure-random')
var data = secureRandom.randomBuffer(10)

Handling Errors

An error will be thrown if a secure random number generator is not available.

throw new Error("Your browser does not support window.crypto.")

References

• Node.js crypto.randomBytes()
• Node.js Buffer
• window.crypto.getRandomValues()
• JavaScript typed arrays

License

(MIT License)

Copyright 2013-2014, JP Richardson