mcrypt_create_iv Create an initialization vector (IV) from a random source &reftitle.description; stringmcrypt_create_iv intsize intsourceMCRYPT_DEV_RANDOM Create an initialization vector (IV) from a random source. The IV is only meant to give an alternative seed to the encryption routines. This IV does not need to be secret at all, though it can be desirable. You even can send it along with your ciphertext without losing security. &reftitle.parameters; size Determines the size of the IV, parameter source (defaults to random value) specifies the source of the IV. source The source can be MCRYPT_RAND (system random number generator), MCRYPT_DEV_RANDOM (read data from /dev/random) and MCRYPT_DEV_URANDOM (read data from /dev/urandom). Prior to 5.3.0, MCRYPT_RAND was the only one supported on Windows. &reftitle.returnvalues; Returns the initialization vector, or &false; on error. &reftitle.changelog; &Version; &Description; 5.3.0 MCRYPT_DEV_RANDOM and MCRYPT_DEV_URANDOM became available on Windows platforms. 5.3.0 It is no longer required to call srand first. This is now done automatically. &reftitle.examples; ]]> &reftitle.seealso; &url.mcrypt.iv; &url.mcrypt.bcm; Chapter 9.3 of Applied Cryptography by Schneier (ISBN 0-471-11709-9)