Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 15:46:56 -0400 From: "Jeroen C. van Gelderen" <jeroen@vangelderen.org> To: Poul-Henning Kamp <phk@critter.freebsd.dk> Cc: Dag-Erling Smorgrav <des@flood.ping.uio.no>, Dan Moschuk <dan@FreeBSD.ORG>, Mark Murray <mark@grondar.za>, arch@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: (2nd iteration) New /dev/(random|null|zero) - review, please Message-ID: <394E78B0.9B3C427A@vangelderen.org> References: <44778.961423462@critter.freebsd.dk>
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Poul-Henning Kamp wrote:
>
> In message <xzpsnu9u5yz.fsf@flood.ping.uio.no>, Dag-Erling Smorgrav writes:
> >Poul-Henning Kamp <phk@critter.freebsd.dk> writes:
> >> In message <xzpwvjlu9w5.fsf@flood.ping.uio.no>, Dag-Erling Smorgrav writes:
> >> > The idea of built-in hardware RNGs bothers me a little. [...]
> >> And just because you went out and bought your RNG separately, what
> >> difference would it make ? If an RNG has a fingerprint, you may
> >> be identified by it, no matter where you bought it or how.
> >
> >Hmm, yes, that wasn't quite what I meant. I was actually thinking
> >about purpose-made RNGs vs. custom-made (e.g. lava lamp + webcam), the
> >idea being that with the latter, a) you know it doesn't contain an
> >intentional steganographic fingerprint and b) you have complete
> >control over the RNG and can vary its output in unpredictable ways
> >(moving the camera, changing the background...) which hopefully defeat
> >recognition without affecting randomness.
>
> Run your Intel built RNG through a cryptographic quality hash ?
>
> If you frustrate the output by running it though MD5 and feed a few
> random bits from your keyboard interrupt in there as well ?
It's not that simple but the problem can be dealt with. This is
what constructions like Yarrow and Gutmann-PRNG are designed for
and hence what MarkM is taking care of.
Cheers,
Jeroen
--
Jeroen C. van Gelderen o _ _ _
jeroen@vangelderen.org _o /\_ _ \\o (_)\__/o (_)
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