Robust, low-cost, auditable random number generation for embedded system security

Ben Lampert; Riad S.  Wahby; Shane Leonard; Philip Levis

Paper 2016/884

Robust, low-cost, auditable random number generation for embedded system security

Ben Lampert, Riad S. Wahby, Shane Leonard, and Philip Levis

Abstract

This paper presents an architecture for a discrete, high-entropy hardware random number generator. Because it is constructed out of simple hardware components, its operation is transparent and auditable. Using avalanche noise, a nondeterministic physical phenomenon, the circuit is inherently probabilistic and resists adversarial control. Furthermore, because it compares the outputs from two matched noise sources, it rejects environmental disturbances like power supply ripple. The resulting hardware produces more than 0.98 bits of entropy per sample, is inexpensive, has a small footprint, and can be disabled to conserve power when not in use.

Note: Minor formatting changes.

Metadata

Available format(s): PDF
Category: Implementation
Publication info: Published elsewhere. ACM SenSys '16
DOI: 10.1145/2994551.2994568
Keywords: hardware RNG pseudo-randomness
Contact author(s): rsw @ cs stanford edu
History: 2016-10-10: revised; 2016-09-14: received; See all versions
Short URL: https://ia.cr/2016/884
License: CC BY

BibTeX

@misc{cryptoeprint:2016/884,
      author = {Ben Lampert and Riad S.  Wahby and Shane Leonard and Philip Levis},
      title = {Robust, low-cost, auditable random number generation for embedded system security},
      howpublished = {Cryptology {ePrint} Archive, Paper 2016/884},
      year = {2016},
      doi = {10.1145/2994551.2994568},
      url = {https://eprint.iacr.org/2016/884}
}