diff --git a/lib/framework.php b/lib/framework.php
index 80c13c92e9..0b34091836 100644
--- a/lib/framework.php
+++ b/lib/framework.php
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ defined('GNUSOCIAL') || die();
 define('GNUSOCIAL_ENGINE', 'GNU social');
 define('GNUSOCIAL_ENGINE_URL', 'https://www.gnu.org/software/social/');
 
-define('GNUSOCIAL_BASE_VERSION', '1.20.8');
+define('GNUSOCIAL_BASE_VERSION', '1.20.9');
 define('GNUSOCIAL_LIFECYCLE', 'release'); // 'dev', 'alpha[0-9]+', 'beta[0-9]+', 'rc[0-9]+', 'release'
 
 define('GNUSOCIAL_VERSION', GNUSOCIAL_BASE_VERSION . '-' . GNUSOCIAL_LIFECYCLE);
diff --git a/lib/util.php b/lib/util.php
index 38bc305b93..45d5b2b8f2 100644
--- a/lib/util.php
+++ b/lib/util.php
@@ -1744,13 +1744,7 @@ function common_random_rawstr($bytes)
  */
 function common_random_hexstr($bytes)
 {
-    $str = common_random_rawstr($bytes);
-
-    $hexstr = '';
-    for ($i = 0; $i < $bytes; $i++) {
-        $hexstr .= sprintf("%02x", ord($str[$i]));
-    }
-    return $hexstr;
+    return bin2hex(random_bytes($bytes));
 }
 
 function common_urandom($bytes)
@@ -2224,20 +2218,21 @@ function common_user_uri(&$user)
                             false);
 }
 
-// 36 alphanums - lookalikes (0, O, 1, I) = 32 chars = 5 bits
-
-function common_confirmation_code($bits)
-{
-    // 36 alphanums - lookalikes (0, O, 1, I) = 32 chars = 5 bits
-    static $codechars = '23456789ABCDEFGHJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZ';
+/**
+ * Generates cryptographically secure pseudo-random strings out of a allowed chars string
+ *
+ * @param $bits int strength of the confirmation code
+ * @param $codechars allowed characters to be used in the confirmation code, by default we use 36 upper case
+ * alphanums and remove lookalikes (0, O, 1, I) = 32 chars = 5 bits to make it easy for the user to type in
+ * @return string confirmation_code of length $bits/5
+ */
+function common_confirmation_code($bits, $codechars = '23456789ABCDEFGHJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZ') {
     $chars = ceil($bits/5);
+    $codechars_length = strlen($codechars)-1;
     $code = '';
-    for ($i = 0; $i < $chars; $i++) {
-        // XXX: convert to string and back
-        $num = hexdec(common_random_hexstr(1));
-        // XXX: randomness is too precious to throw away almost
-        // 40% of the bits we get!
-        $code .= $codechars[$num%32];
+    for($i = 0; $i < $chars; ++$i) {
+        $random_char = $codechars[random_int(0, $codechars_length)];
+        $code .= $random_char;
     }
     return $code;
 }