hardware crypto

Random Numbers

• Foundation of cryptography
• There is no truely random numbers
• Use hardware to simulate random numbers

Simulate random numbers

Usage of chaotic processes

• Radioactive decay
• Thermal noise
• Oscillator
• Mouse movement
• Keystroke timing

Software: pseudo random generator

Hardware vs Software random number generator

• Hardware values can be true-random
• Output rate is rather slow
• Subject to environmental malfunctions, such as 60 Hz noise
• Software, if properly designed and written, is fast and reliable

In practice, we use a combination of software and hardware random number generator.