[133693] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: Lava lamp random number generator made useful?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jon Callas)
Sun Sep 21 14:51:44 2008
Cc: Jerry Leichter <leichter_jerrold@emc.com>,
Cryptography <cryptography@metzdowd.com>
From: Jon Callas <jon@callas.org>
To: IanG <iang@systemics.com>
In-Reply-To: <48D4A1C2.3010908@systemics.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 12:46:27 -0700
>
> Does anyone know of a cheap USB random number source?
>
> As a meandering comment, it would be extremely good for us if we had
> cheap pocket random number sources of arguable quality [1].
>
> I've often thought that if we had an open source hardware design of
> a USB random number generator ... that cost a few pennies to add
> onto any other USB toy ... then we could ask the manufacturers to
> throw it in for laughs. Something like a small mountable disk that
> returns randoms on every block read, so the interface is trivial.
>
> Then, when it comes time to generate those special keys, we could
> simply plug it in, run it, clean up the output in software and use
> it. Hey presto, all those nasty software and theoretical
> difficulties evaporate.
A TPM has random numbers of arguable quality. I'm happy to argue
either side of it, but that's not what you asked.
A cheap USB camera would make a good source. The cheaper the better,
too. Pull a frame off, hash it, and it's got entropy, even against a
white background. No lava lamp needed.
Jon
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