Quantum RNG (was: Use of TPM chip for RNG)

On 7/4/06, Andrea Pasquinucci <cesareucci.it> wrote:
> About RNG, does someone in the list have any comment,
ideas on this
>
> http:
//www.idquantique.com/products/quantis.htm

Why? Noise-based RNGs are just as random and just as
"quantum". 

-- 
Taral <taralxgmail.com>
"You can't prove anything."
    -- Gödel's Incompetence Theorem

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     --
Taral wrote:
 > Noise-based RNGs are just as random and just as
 > "quantum". 

Shot noise is just as quantum.  Johnson noise (which
most hardware generators use) is thermal noise, so not
quantum.

Not that the difference between thermal noise and
quantum uncertainty matters for our purpose, unless the
adversary is submerging your hardware in liquid helium.

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          James A. Donald
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On 7/4/06, Taral <taralxgmail.com> wrote:
> On 7/4/06, Andrea Pasquinucci <cesareucci.it> wrote:
> > About RNG, does someone in the list have any
comment, ideas on this
> > http:
//www.idquantique.com/products/quantis.htm
>
> Why? Noise-based RNGs are just as random and just as
"quantum". 

Hella fast.  Most of the RNGs based on electrical noise are
not
particularly pure -- some even use noisy diodes, which are
decidedly
predictable.  Those that bother to isolate out one noise
phenomenon or
another sacrifice speed, and the average consumer won't
have the
technical background to judge them on anything else. 
Sampling faster
gives more bits, but no more randomness.  Overall, you're
going to be
limited by temperature with electrical noise phenomena.

On the other hand, the quantis device appears to be simple,
straightforward, and "clean".  But it's all
sealed up in an opaque
container.  I asked them some questions about it and the
person I was
speaking with didn't seem to understand why anyone would
care about
what's in the module.

Note that they sell QC endpoints as well.  Very interesting
company.
-- 
Resolve is what distinguishes a person who has failed from a
failure.
Unix "guru" for sale or rent - http://www.li
ghtconsulting.com/~travis/ -><-
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