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Ultra-low-cost True Randomness

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the and-a-damn-fine-hack dept.

Cryptocrat writes "Today I blogged about a new method for secure random sequence generation that is based on physical properties of hardware, but requires only hardware found on most computer systems: from standard PCs to RFID tags." Basically he's powercycling memory and looking at the default state of the bits, which surprisingly (to me anyway) is able to both to fingerprint systems, as well as generate a true random number. There also is a PDF Paper on the subject if you're interested in the concept.

12 of 201 comments (clear)

  1. 933245789124398 by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 1, Funny

    234 234838372 234 29723432891023478343589435892?

    --
    liqbase :: faster than paper
    1. Re:933245789124398 by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 5, Funny

      23423483837223429723432891023478343589435892

      You would expect that, you fucking pervert.

    2. Re:933245789124398 by Debug0x2a · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hey, I'm a 23423483837223429723432891023478343589435892 you insensitive clod!

      --
      First post = troll. Cleverly worded post designed to enrage others = flamebait.
  2. Random karma whore by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Randomness is definable.

    Why, take a look at this Wikipedia link. You can never tell whether it represents the truth or some crackpot's claim to it or just some troll's malicious vandalism.

    Voila! Randomness!

  3. Oblig. XKCD by IcedTeaisgood · · Score: 5, Funny

    http://xkcd.com/221/

    1. Re:Oblig. XKCD by KJE · · Score: 2, Funny

      Oblig Dilbert: http://www.random.org/analysis/dilbert.jpg

  4. Natural Ice by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Is pretty low cost to get some randomness. Some friends like jug wine though. Although I'm extremely cheap, so I just go for 100 proof stuff. $12.00 and you can get a whole bottle of randomness.

  5. The problem with random numbers by operagost · · Score: 4, Funny

    You can never be sure.

    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  6. Re:Fingerprinting by benhocking · · Score: 3, Funny

    Wow, that actually makes sense. I'll bet you cheated and RTFA, didn't you?

    --
    Ben Hocking
    Need a professional organizer?
  7. Re:A VERY interesting idea... by Dirtside · · Score: 2, Funny

    Kevin Fu has some SMART grad students.

    I wonder how often they go around saying to people, "Whoa. I know Kevin Fu."
    --
    "Destroy science and religion. Science would re-emerge exactly the same; but not religion." - Penn Jillette, paraphrased
  8. Re:Kolmogorov complexity not tractable - compressi by arth1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    For instance, in the 123456789012345678901234567890 sequence example, any self-respecting compressor such as Zip would create something like "1234567890 times 3", which is pretty close to the shortest program which generates the sequence.

    perl -e 'print 1..9,0..9,0..9,0'
  9. Re:Don't follow the hype. Does not apply to PC's. by maxwell+demon · · Score: 2, Funny

    Slashdot stories get worse by the day.

    That's why I read Slashdot only at night.
    --
    The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.