NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

       BN_new,  BN_init, BN_clear, BN_free, BN_clear_free - Allocate
 and free BIGNUMs

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

       #include <openssl/bn.h>

       BIGNUM *BN_new(
               void ); void BN_init(
               BIGNUM * ); void BN_clear(
               BIGNUM *a ); void BN_free(
               BIGNUM *a ); void BN_clear_free(
               BIGNUM *a );

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

       The BN_new() function allocates and initializes  a  BIGNUM
       structure.  The BN_init() function initializes an existing
       uninitialized BIGNUM.

       The BN_clear() function is used to destroy sensitive  data
       such as keys when they are no longer needed. It erases the
       memory used by a and sets it to the value 0.

       The BN_free() function frees the components of the BIGNUM,
       and  if  it  was  created  by BN_new(), also the structure
       itself. The BN_clear_free() function overwrites  the  data
       before the memory is returned to the system.

RETURN VALUES    [Toc]    [Back]

       The  BN_new() function returns a pointer to the BIGNUM. If
       the allocation fails, it returns NULL and  sets  an  error
       code that can be obtained by using ERR_get_error().

       The  BN_init(), BN_clear(), BN_free(), and BN_clear_free()
       functions have no return values.

HISTORY    [Toc]    [Back]

       The BN_new(), BN_clear(), BN_free(),  and  BN_clear_free()
       functions  are  available  in  all  versions on SSLeay and
       OpenSSL.  The  BN_init()  function  was  added  in  SSLeay
       0.9.1b.

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

       Functions: bn(3), err(3)



                                                        BN_new(3)