Just use srand on NSE startup in nse_main.cc. This removes the need

for a binding which will probably not be useful for script writers
when they have OpenSSL's PRNG already available.

nse_main.cc

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "nmap.h"
+#include "nbase.h"
 #include "nmap_error.h"
 #include "portlist.h"
 #include "nsock.h"
@@ -613,6 +614,13 @@ void script_scan (std::vector<Target *> &targets, stype scantype)
   assert(L_NSE != NULL);
   lua_settop(L_NSE, 0); /* clear the stack */
 
+  /*
+   Set the random seed value on behalf of scripts.  Since Lua uses the C rand
+   and srand functions, which have a static seed for the entire program, we
+   don't want scripts doing this themselves.
+   */
+  srand(get_random_uint());
+
 #if 0
   /* Lua 5.2 */
   lua_pushcfunction(L_NSE, run_main);

nse_main.lua

@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ local open = io.open;
 
 local math = require "math";
 local max = math.max;
-local randomseed = math.randomseed;
 
 local package = require "package";
 
@@ -124,11 +123,6 @@ do -- Append the nselib directory to the Lua search path
   package.path = path.."?.lua;"..package.path;
 end
 
--- Set the math.randomseed value in nse_main.lua on behalf of scripts.
--- Since Lua uses the C rand and srand functions, which have a static
--- seed for the entire program, we don't want scripts doing this themselves.
-math.randomseed(nmap.get_random_uint());
-
 local script_database_type, script_database_path =
     cnse.fetchfile_absolute(cnse.script_dbpath);
 local script_database_update = cnse.scriptupdatedb;

nse_nmaplib.cc

@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ extern "C" {
 #include <math.h>
 
 #include "nmap.h"
-#include "nbase.h"
 #include "nmap_error.h"
 #include "NmapOps.h"
 #include "Target.h"
@@ -754,12 +753,6 @@ static int l_get_interface (lua_State *L)
   return 1;
 }
 
-static int l_get_random_uint (lua_State *L)
-{
-  lua_pushnumber(L, (lua_Number) get_random_uint());
-  return 1;
-}
-
 int luaopen_nmap (lua_State *L)
 {
   static const luaL_reg nmaplib [] = {
@@ -787,7 +780,6 @@ int luaopen_nmap (lua_State *L)
     {"address_family", l_address_family},
     {"get_interface", l_get_interface},
     {"get_interface_info", l_dnet_get_interface_info},
-    {"get_random_uint", l_get_random_uint},
     {NULL, NULL}
   };
 

nselib/nmap.luadoc

@@ -120,17 +120,6 @@ function get_interface_info(interface_name)
 -- @return String representing the full path to the file or <code>nil</code>.
 function fetchfile(filename)
 
-
---- Generates a random unsigned integer.
---
--- This function is generally useful for seeding a random number generator.
--- It is not efficient enough to be used as a random number generator.
---
--- @usage
--- nmap.get_rand_uint() --> 1234567890
--- @return Number A random unsigned integer.
-function get_random_uint()
-
 --- Returns the timing level as a non-negative integer.
 --
 -- Possible return values vary from <code>0</code> to <code>5</code>,