[ale] OT: Quantifying Randomness

[Greg]

	I recall reading in some Tom Clancy novel the NSA using noise from space to
generate completely random noise for coding purposes.  I am guessing that as
long as equipment simply records noise that there is no introduction of
patterns (unless you are recording a quasar (?) - a rotating (?) star that
generates a signal on a pattern), but outside of working for the NSA / NASA
or jury rigging your satellite dish I would not know how to get samples of
cosmic noise (SETI ??).

	I do recall some work done by the OpenBSD folks to further randomize their
random generator which is completely in line with their line of having a
secure OS w/ cryptography built into the system.  Daniel J. Bernstein has
also done considerable work in this field from what I have garnered from
reading some of his work.

Hope this helps,

Greg Canter

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeff Hubbs [mailto:hbbs at attbi.com]
> Sent: Thursday, July 04, 2002 6:22 PM
> To: Kevin Krumwiede
> Cc: ale at ale.org
> Subject: Re: [ale] OT: Quantifying Randomness
>
>
> Kevin -
>
> I remember reading something on some Web site about someone using a
> video camera pointed at some lava lamps to generate entropy.  The scheme
> even used X10 to give the lamps some periodic off time to improve their
> longevity.  Try Googling for that and see if you can find it.
>
> - Jeff
>
> On Thu, 2002-07-04 at 16:28, Kevin Krumwiede wrote:
> > I'm looking for a way to ensure that random data captured from
> > recordings of white noise does not contain patterns induced by the
> > equipment.  I've seen programs that analyze the output of a PRNG and
> > quantify its randomness, but I don't know what they're called and I
> > can't find anything on Google.  If someone can point me to a white paper
> > or an algorithm, I can implement it...
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Krum
> >
> >
> > ---
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>
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