Ultra-low-cost True Randomness

Cryptocrat writes "Today I blogged about a new method for secure random sequence generation that is based on physical properties of hardware, but requires only hardware found on most computer systems: from standard PCs to RFID tags." Basically he's powercycling memory and looking at the default state of the bits, which surprisingly (to me anyway) is able to both to fingerprint systems, as well as generate a true random number. There also is a PDF Paper on the subject if you're interested in the concept.

933245789124398

[LiquidCoooled]

234 234838372 234 29723432891023478343589435892?

Re:933245789124398

[BadAnalogyGuy]

23423483837223429723432891023478343589435892

You would expect that, you fucking pervert.

Random karma whore

[BadAnalogyGuy]

Randomness is definable.

Why, take a look at this Wikipedia link [wikipedia.org]. You can never tell whether it represents the truth or some crackpot's claim to it or just some troll's malicious vandalism.

Voila! Randomness!

Oblig. XKCD

[IcedTeaisgood]

http://xkcd.com/221/ [xkcd.com]

Natural Ice

[0100010001010011]

Is pretty low cost to get some randomness. Some friends like jug wine though. Although I'm extremely cheap, so I just go for 100 proof stuff. $12.00 and you can get a whole bottle of randomness.

The problem with random numbers

[operagost]

You can never be sure [random.org].

Re:Oblig. XKCD

[KJE]

Oblig Dilbert: http://www.random.org/analysis/dilbert.jpg [random.org]

Re:Fingerprinting

[benhocking]

Wow, that actually makes sense. I'll bet you cheated and RTFA, didn't you?

Re:933245789124398

[Debug0x2a]

Hey, I'm a 23423483837223429723432891023478343589435892 you insensitive clod!

Re:A VERY interesting idea...

[Dirtside]

Kevin Fu has some SMART grad students.

I wonder how often they go around saying to people, "Whoa. I know Kevin Fu."

Re:Kolmogorov complexity not tractable - compressi

[arth1]

For instance, in the 123456789012345678901234567890 sequence example, any self-respecting compressor such as Zip would create something like "1234567890 times 3", which is pretty close to the shortest program which generates the sequence.

perl -e 'print 1..9,0..9,0..9,0'

Re:Don't follow the hype. Does not apply to PC's.

[maxwell demon]

Slashdot stories get worse by the day.

That's why I read Slashdot only at night.