The document discusses entropy in the context of cryptography, highlighting its significance in generating random bits and ensuring secure authentication protocols. It reviews various NIST standards and requirements for entropy sources and the challenges of generating truly random data on computers. Additionally, the document introduces a product called ChaosControl, which aims to provide a compliant solution for random bit generation.

1. Solving the Challenge of New
Entropy Standards
Ray Potter
ICMC
November 20, 2014

2. Flow
• Quick recap of entropy and its purpose
• Standards review
• Our work
2

3. Entropy
• Average amount of information contained
in data stream
• A measure of uncertainty /
unpredictability
3

4. Practical Entropy
4
S a f L o g i c
R u l s

5. Entropy in the Real World
5

6. Entropy in Crypto
• Provide random bits
• Challenges in authentication protocols
• Seeds for algorithms
• Use to seed DRBG
• Value is unpredictable output
6

7. Issues
• Truly random data difficult / impossible
to generate on a computer
• How to measure it
7

8. Entropy Quantified
• log2 (max p(xi))
• −􏰂 P(X = x)log P(X = x)
8

9. NIST 800 Series
• SP 800-90B: requirements for entropy
source
• SP 800-90A: deterministic algorithms
• SP 800-90C: implement an RBG with -90A
and -90B components
9

10. Effect to FIPS 140
• Current Requirement:
“Compromising the security of the key
generation method (e.g., guessing the seed
value to initialize the deterministic RNG) shall
require as least as many operations as
determining the value of the generated key.”
10

11. Draft IG
• First socialized last year
• Entropy estimation mandatory for…
software modules which include entropy
gathering mechanisms that are within the
logical boundary of the module
11

12. Entropy Gathered within SW
Module Logical Boundary
• CMTL needs to submit entropy rationale
• If DRBG is reseeded frequently, the
vendor shall make a reasonable heuristic
claim of independence of the added
entropy values.
12

13. Entropy Gathered Outside the
SW Module Logical Boundary
• Entropy estimate should be in SP
1. Entropy originates from another
validated module
2. Entropy originates from the
operational environment
13

14. ChaosControl
• Cryptographically secure DRBG
• Available for mobile and desktop / server
environments
• Compliant to 800-90 and draft FIPS 140 IG
14

15. Logical View of Entropy Sources
for iOS Platform
15

16. Words from Whit
• The right way to use tests
in random number
generation is to look for
failure of the particular
mechanism.
• Test each source
independently (for stuck
faults and other things that
can be detected by
correlation) and shut down
if fewer than some
16

17. Checks Performed
• Entropy estimates for each source is
recorded with that source
• Exception / reinitialize if not enough
entropy
• CRNGT (CREGT?)
17

18. Initial Seeding
• Ensures sufficient entropy before allowing
clients to request random bytes
• Checks for suitable amount of entropy
before initialization
• Seed file is persisted to disk
18

19. More about Tests
• Heuristic
• log2 (max p(xi)) / min-entropy from 800-
90b
• Statistical Tests from 800-90b
• Full test suite documented by NIST SP800-
22rev1a
19

20. Results from 800-22rev1a
20

21. Statistical Analysis Results
21
Compression Bins Collision
Output Space Size = 256 Minimum
Possible Score: 0.000000 Maximum
Possible Score: 7.183666 Filename:
out.bin Test name:
compression Output Space Size
256 Numberof samples:
58321 Numberof events:
57321 Mean score:
7.139077 Adjusted mean score:
7.126542 Standard deviation:
1.818899 Entropy type: min-
entropy Entropy estimate:
4.936194 Entropy/outputdimension
estimate: 0.617024
Output Space Size =
256 Warning: Shannon entropy
estimate = 7.97 Filename:
out.bin Test name: bins Output
Space Size 256 Number of
samples: 58321 Numberof
events: 58321 Mean score:
0.006927 Adjusted mean score:
0.015471 Standard deviation:
0.000000 Entropy type: min-
entropy Entropy estimate:
6.014244 Entropy/outputdimens
ion estimate: 0.751781
Output Space Size =
256 MinimumPossible Score:
2.000000 MaximumPossible
Score: 20.726106 Filename:
out.bin Test name:
collision Output Space Size
256 Numberof samples:
58313 Numberof events:
2803 Mean score:
20.803782 Adjusted mean score:
20.493429 Standard deviation:
9.956489 Entropy type: min-
entropy Entropy estimate:
6.103266 Entropy/outputdimensi
on estimate: 0.762908

22. Hey Guess What…
• ChaosControl is included with
CryptoComply
• ChaosControl is (nearly) patented
• SafeLogic is offering it standalone at NO
COST license until the end of Q1CY2015
22

23. Let’s Connect
• @SafeLogic
• @SafeLogic_Ray
• www.SafeLogic.com