Recommendation for the Entropy Sources Used for Random Bit Generation

Barker, Elaine; Kelsey, John

NIST SP 800-90B (Initial Public Draft)

Obsoleted on January 27, 2016 by SP 800-90B (2nd Public Draft)

Recommendation for the Entropy Sources Used for Random Bit Generation

Date Published: August 2012
Comments Due: December 5, 2012 (public comment period is CLOSED)
Email Questions to: rbg_comments@nist.gov

Author(s)

Elaine Barker (NIST), John Kelsey (NIST)

Announcement

NIST requests comments on two Draft publications for random bit generation: Draft SP 800-90B, Recommendation for the Entropy Sources Used for Random Bit Generation and Draft SP 800-90C, Recommendation for Random Bit Generator (RBG) Constructions. SP 800-90B specifies the design principles and requirements for the entropy sources used by Random Bit Generators, and thetests for the validation of entropy sources. A list of questions relating to SP 800-90B is also provided for reviewers.

SP 800-90C specifies constructions for the implementation of random bit generators (RBGs). An RBG may be a deterministic random bit generator (DRBG) or a non-deterministic random bitgenerator (NRBG). The constructed RBGs consist of DRBG mechanisms as specified SP 800-90A and entropy sources as specified in SP 800-90B.

Abstract

This Recommendation specifies the design principles and requirements for the entropy sources used by Random Bit Generators, and the tests for the validation of entropy sources. These entropy sources are intended to be combined with Deterministic Random Bit Generator mechanisms that are specified in [SP 800-90A] to construct Random Bit Generators, as specified in [SP 800-90C].

Keywords

deterministic random bit generator (DRBG); entropy; hash function; random number generator; noise source; entropy source; conditioning component

Control Families

System and Communications Protection

Documentation

Publication:
No Download Available

Supplemental Material:
None available

Other Parts of this Publication:
SP 800-90C

Document History:
09/05/12: SP 800-90B (Draft)
01/27/16: SP 800-90B (Draft)

Topics

Security and Privacy

random number generation