4 ms·
Ask HN: Why don't all computers use atmospheric noise for random numbers?
Info on atmospheric noise:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_noise
- MH15 8y agoProbably because interference (intentional or otherwise) at similar wavelengths could seriously skew the "random" numbers. This obviously isn't good.
- WilliamEdward 8y agoApparently they already do this though https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_number_generation#%22True%22_vs._pseudo-random_numbers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_number_generation#%22Tr...
- quickthrower2 8y agoBecause pseudo random is good for most purposes, and there is enough chaos in the machine to seed cryptographic random numbers. So why add extra manufacturing cost.
- SamReidHughes 8y agoHaving a radio antenna feeding information into the computer has its own negative security implications.
- quickthrower2 8y agoHold on, what of wifi and Bluetooth?
- muzani 8y agoWe're not generating random numbers with them.
- quickthrower2 8y ago"Having a radio antenna feeding information into the computer has its own negative security implications." My point is, if that is true, then wifi and bluetooth would have those same negative implications regardless of what you are using them for.
- SamReidHughes 8y agoIn a highly secure environment you don't use WiFi or Bluetooth.
- quickthrower2 8y agoThe OP is talking about random numbers in general I believe, not in highly secure environments only.
- SamReidHughes 8y agoSure. I think Intel's RDRAND, using thermal noise (or whatever) makes more sense, because you don't have to hook up some antenna -- I'm no physicist but my guess is it gets substantively affected by atmospheric noise.