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Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator

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In article <alpine.LNX.2.02.1410291605340.4171@darkstar.example.org>,
Michael Black  <et472@ncf.ca> wrote:
>On Wed, 29 Oct 2014, Christian Neukirchen wrote:
>
>> Tonton Th <tTh@nowhere.invalid> writes:
>>
>>> On 2014-10-28, Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> http://onerng.info/
>>>>>
>>>>>    OneRNG collects entropy from an avalanche diode circuit, and from a
>>>>>    channel-hopping RF receiver. It even has a "tinfoil hat" to prevent RF
>>>>>    interference - you can remove the hat in order to visually verify the
>>>>>    components being used.
>>>>
>>>> Seems neat but there are already many ways to gather entropy from sound
>>>> cards and other parts of the system, which satisfy randomness.  If
>>>
>>>    No audio input on a RasPi.
>>
>> But a native RNG:
>>
>http://scruss.com/blog/2013/06/07/well-that-was-unexpected-the-raspberry-pis-hardware-random-number-generator/
>>
>That's interesting.  I know I've seen references to "urandom" as Linux is 
>booting, some reference to a random source that isn't in all hardware.

/dev/random isn't necessarily a hardware source.  The difference between
/dev/random and /dev/urandom is that /dev/random blocks when available
entropy runs out.  /dev/urandom doesn't; if demand exceeds supply, it'll
keep producing pseudorandomness, but with less entropy.

If /dev/random isn't backed by hardware, other entropy sources are
considered: time between keystrokes, mouse movement, disk interrupts, etc. 
Note that this can be somewhat troublesome for servers, which frequently
don't have input devices attached.

If a hardware RNG is available, rngd is used to top up /dev/random as
needed.

  _/_
 / v \ Scott Alfter (remove the obvious to send mail)
(IIGS( http://alfter.us/            Top-posting!
 \_^_/                              >What's the most annoying thing on Usenet?

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Thread

OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2014-10-28 10:15 +0000
  Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2014-10-28 15:17 -0700
    Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator Tonton Th <tTh@nowhere.invalid> - 2014-10-28 22:34 +0000
      Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-10-28 19:15 -0400
        Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2014-10-28 18:43 -0700
      Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator Christian Neukirchen <chneukirchen@gmail.com> - 2014-10-29 15:41 +0100
        Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator scott@alfter.diespammersdie.us (Scott Alfter) - 2014-10-29 18:11 +0000
        Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-10-29 16:06 -0400
          Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator scott@alfter.diespammersdie.us (Scott Alfter) - 2014-10-30 17:38 +0000
            Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-10-30 20:39 +0200
              Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator scott@alfter.diespammersdie.us (Scott Alfter) - 2014-11-03 20:08 +0000
                Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-11-03 22:12 +0200
  Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator Sylvia Else <sylvia@not.at.this.address> - 2014-10-31 16:52 +1100
    Re: OneRNG: Open Hardware Random Number Generator nobody@nowhere.invalid (natp) - 2014-11-01 01:52 +0000

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