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VIA C3 Random Number Generator Reviewed
An anonymous reader writes "VIA has added a hardware
random number generator to its Nehemiah C3 CPU. I found a recent review
of its security. Interesting how it's done at the instruction level as opposed to
the chipset level used by the i810 RNG (also reviewed there)."
VIA Launches Seventh Generation 'Nehemiah' CPU Core, the First x86 Processor to Market with Embedded Security Features
Combining an integrated PadLock(TM) Data Encryption Engine with a wealth of enhanced performance features, the new generation VIA C3(TM) provides the lowest power native x86 platform for the fast-growing market of connected PCs and home entertainment centers
Taipei, Taiwan, 22 January 2003 - VIA Technologies, Inc., a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies and PC platform solutions, today announced its new generation VIA C3(TM) processor integrating the 'Nehemiah' core. With its powerful PadLock(TM) Data Encryption Engine, this next generation VIA C3 is the first native x86 processor on the market with embedded security features that enhance the protection of sensitive corporate and personal data.
Available now at a speed of 1GHz, the new processor core is based on an advanced new CoolStream(TM) processor architecture that delivers all the necessary performance for running even the most demanding digital media applications while maintaining ultra low levels of power consumption and heat dissipation.
"The launch of the seventh generation VIA C3 processor extends our leadership in enabling the development of secure, quiet-running small form factor system designs for a rapidly growing number of exciting new lifestyle and productivity applications such as home digital media entertainment and connected computing," commented Paul Hsu, Executive Assistant to the President and Head of VIA's CPU Business Unit. "Integration of embedded security features in the processor provides the most robust and cost-effective solution for addressing the increased demands among individuals, businesses, and government organizations for enhanced authentication and protection of their data in today's connected world."
PadLock(TM) Data Encryption Engine
The PadLock Data Encryption Engine has been integrated into the new generation VIA C3 processor to ensure greater confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of electronic data either stored in the computer or transmitted over a network or the Internet, and enables a host of powerful new security applications, including heavy-duty data encryption and safer online transactions.
At its heart is an advanced Random Number Generator (RNG) that uses random electrical noise on the chip to securely produce random number values, and features a direct application level interface through a new x86 instruction. Developers can obtain random numbers directly from the hardware without having to use separate software drivers, thereby providing an inherently more secure and efficient solution than combined hardware/software RNG architectures. The RNG includes several operating modes, offering performance from 750K bits per second to as high as 6 million bits per second.
"VIA's incorporation of a hardware random number source on the processor die is exciting for developers, since it provides a simple and effective way of obtaining high quality randomness. This is particularly important for security and cryptography applications, since it is notoriously difficult to generate random numbers of adequate quality without a hardware random number generator," said Paul Kocher, President of Cryptography Research, Inc. and co-inventor of SSL 3.0. "I am enthusiastic about the benefit to applications such as secure web browsing, cryptographic key generation, and protocols where randomness is required."
CoolStream(TM) Architecture
Based on the advanced CoolStream architecture, the new generation VIA C3 processor has a highly efficient design that, when coupled with the VIA Apollo CLE266 chipset, delivers performance increases of up to 20% over the current version of the VIA C3 processor in mainstream productivity applications and up to 73% for 3D graphics applications, while continuing to deliver the same benefits of low power and minimal heat dissipation.
New performanc
The ideal source for random numbers has always been physical sources, such as the white noise you see on your television screen when tuned to an unused channel. The noise is generated by remnants from the big bang, and is cryptographically unusable (since the numbers are recordable by anyone). But is a good test for statistical algorithms such as evolutionary computation (which depend on randomn initial states).
The idea of using electrical currents secured on a chip is much sounder - since the noise is locally generated and very difficult to tap. I project that as quantum mechanics become more mainstream, the random quantum effects of electrons will be tapped to generate even sounder and accessible random signals.
* Freewheeling means that these oscillators are not tied to a crystal, and the frequency they oscillate at is not precisely locked at any exact rate (as would be the case if it employed a crystal.) These minute variations in frequency are the source of entropy the chip designers are actually gathering.
The sampled bits are then "whitened" to reduce biases, and the whitened bits are stored in a FIFO queue until used.
The paper in the article explains all this, and it talks about a couple of other cool cryptogeek features. You can change the bias voltage via CPU instruction (which would affect the jitter,) but each request of "randomness" comes with a pedigree indicating what bias settings were used! Finally, Cryptography Research's testing showed that they believe the chip (with whitening enabled) is capable of generating bits with an entropy of 0.99 bits/output bit, although they recommend trusting only a conservative entropy factor of about 0.75 bits/output bit. And since it generates bits at a rate of 30-50 million bits per second, most applications can probably afford to throw away a few in the name of entropy.
John