Messages in this thread | | | Date | Sun, 30 Jan 2000 23:52:07 -0100 | From | Folkert van Heusden <> | Subject | Re: FW: Intel 810 Random Number Generator |
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> > I think you can "remove" (well, not literally) > > some of the not-so-random data in the inputs > > for the random generator (like the 60Hz of the > > current, processor harmonics, etc.) by first > > sending the random-data trough a compressor. > > bzip2 or gzip or whatsoever. By compressing > > data, you'll remove redundancy from data which > > should remove repeating events like the 60hz > > stuff. See also the thread that spawned on this > > mailinglist on that message I wrote about the > > randomness of the kernel :-) > Folkert, sorry for being a bit harsh,
That's ok.
> but I recommend that you refrain > from posting stuff about cryptography until you know something about > the subject. > For "untrained" eyes, the data from gzip looks a lot more random than > the input data. In reality it isn't. It's LESS random. > If we take the (old and no longer often used) algorithm for > "compress", then you'll see the first 256 bytes of an input file > stored in at least 9 bits per byte. Because the byte-boundaries are no > longer aligned, you no longer SEE that an "a" (0110.0001) is stored as > 0.0110.0001, in fact, with 1/8th LESS entropy than the input data.
It was just an example. I think gzip/compress/whatever is not a good example. Also; it is not necessary to store all data to be able to de- compress things. One could skip some bits? Like; when you know that in fact the entry would use like 8 bits (for the 8), just skip that 9th bit.
-- ------------------------------------------------------------ Folkert van Heusden http://www.vanheusden.com/ some e-mail addresses: f.v.heusden@ftr.nl, flok99@dds.nl mobile phone: +31-6-22390057
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