5.1.1 Client and Server Random Values and Premaster Secrets

  • Article

The client and server both generate a 32-byte random value using a cryptographically safe random number generator.

The server generates a 32-byte server random value and sends it to the client in the Server License Request message. The server also sends its public key embedded in a server certificate as part of the Server License Request message.

On receipt of a Server License Request message, the client generates a 32-byte client random value. It also generates a 48-byte random number called the premaster secret. The client encrypts the premaster secret (see section 5.1.1.1) using the server's public key (embedded in the Server Certificate in the Server License Request message). The client then sends the client random value and the encrypted premaster secret to the server in a Client New License Request message or a Client License Information message, depending on whether the client possesses a license.

Client and server random values and premaster secret flows

Figure 7: Client and server random values and premaster secret flows

For information on how the licensing encryption key is generated, see section 5.1.2.