[Cryptography] HSM's

[ianG]

On 21/01/14 02:25 AM, Bill Frantz wrote:

> The RNGs will need to communicate with each other, or with a central
> trusted module to know that the MD of the random contribution has been
> committed by all the RNGs so they can safely release the random
> contribution.

I don't think it is necessary for the RNGs to audit their output.  It's
only necessary for the HSMs to audit the results.  The RNGs can be dumb.

I thought about that a little.  My musing at the time was that you could
avoid it by having a time-broadcast.  If the RNGs can deliver say 10k
per second, why not just have them do that?

Each RNG sends out a packet one per cycle.  And for committing, each
packet can include the MD of the next packet.

OK, so this sets up a lot of complications for the HSMs that now have to
agree on the time-set of RNG output.  Maybe not worth it.


iang