Generating Random Numbers for Cryptography with Lava Lamps

Home > Blogs > Security > Generating Random Numbers for Cryptography with Lava Lamps

Generating Random Numbers for Cryptography with Lava Lamps

Like This Blog 0 Mike Danseglio
Added by May 2, 2013

Generating Random Numbers for Cryptography with Lava Lamps? Yes, this is a serious article.

Cryptography often requires random numbers. From seed values to cryptographic key material to data obfuscation values to actual keys, random numbers are incredibly important.

If there’s one thing that computers really suck at, it is generating random numbers. Computers are designed to carry out predictable behavior. We don’t want random things happening with our spreadsheets, with our data storage, with the keys that we press on the keyboard. So getting a computer not designed to generate a random number to actually generate a true random number is a challenge.

Sure there have been attempts. These have included methods as basic as taking the millisecond value of the current timestamp or the value of a CPU register or memory location, or even counting the number of files on the local hard drive at any given moment and dividing by pi. But these are poor attempts and do not generate truly random numbers. At best they are predictable.

There are also mathematical algorithms… but they’re dry and boring.

My favorite random number generator is also the most entertaining. It digitizes the current state of a set of Lava Lamps to generate a value. Aptly named Lavarand, it works on the basis that the state of several Lava Lamps at any moment in the future is not predictable and that the past state cannot be recreated in the future. Lavarand was originally created by Silicon Graphics and now makes its home (renamed as Lavarnd) at Cisco.

Be well and be safe!

Mike Danseglio -CISSP / CEH
Interface Technical Training – Technical Director and Instructor

Videos You May Like

A Simple Introduction to Cisco CML2

0 3877 0

Mark Jacob, Cisco Instructor, presents an introduction to Cisco Modeling Labs 2.0 or CML2.0, an upgrade to Cisco’s VIRL Personal Edition. Mark demonstrates Terminal Emulator access to console, as well as console access from within the CML2.0 product. Hello, I’m Mark Jacob, a Cisco Instructor and Network Instructor at Interface Technical Training. I’ve been using … Continue reading A Simple Introduction to Cisco CML2

Creating Dynamic DNS in Network Environments

0 641 1

This content is from our CompTIA Network + Video Certification Training Course. Start training today! In this video, CompTIA Network + instructor Rick Trader teaches how to create Dynamic DNS zones in Network Environments. Video Transcription: Now that we’ve installed DNS, we’ve created our DNS zones, the next step is now, how do we produce those … Continue reading Creating Dynamic DNS in Network Environments

Cable Testers and How to Use them in Network Environments

0 724 1

This content is from our CompTIA Network + Video Certification Training Course. Start training today! In this video, CompTIA Network + instructor Rick Trader demonstrates how to use cable testers in network environments. Let’s look at some tools that we can use to test our different cables in our environment. Cable Testers Properly Wired Connectivity … Continue reading Cable Testers and How to Use them in Network Environments

Write a Comment

Share your thoughts...

Please fill out the comment form below to post a reply.