Secure Source of Randomness

[pixeebot]

This codemod replaces all instances of functions in the random module (e.g. random.random() with their, much more secure, equivalents from the secrets module (e.g. secrets.SystemRandom().random()).

There is significant algorithmic complexity in getting computers to generate genuinely unguessable random bits. The random.random() function uses a method of pseudo-random number generation that unfortunately emits fairly predictable numbers.

If the numbers it emits are predictable, then it's obviously not safe to use in cryptographic operations, file name creation, token construction, password generation, and anything else that's related to security. In fact, it may affect security even if it's not directly obvious.

Switching to a more secure version is simple and the changes look something like this:

- import random
+ import secrets
  ...
- random.random()
+ secrets.SystemRandom().random()

More reading

• https://owasp.org/www-community/vulnerabilities/Insecure_Randomness
• https://docs.python.org/3/library/random.html

I have additional improvements ready for this repo! If you want to see them, leave the comment:

@pixeebot next

... and I will open a new PR right away!

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[JLLeitschuh]

@pixeebot next

[pixeebot]

@JLLeitschuh, I opened PR #9, go check it out!

[pixeebot]

I'm confident in this change, but I'm not a maintainer of this project. Do you see any reason not to merge it?

If this change was not helpful, or you have suggestions for improvements, please let me know!

[pixeebot]

This change may not be a priority right now, so I'll close it. If there was something I could have done better, please let me know!

You can also customize me to make sure I'm working with you in the way you want.