Projects:2015s1-13 A One-Time Pad Generator

Background

The One Time Pad generator project aimed to create a true random hardware generator in conjunction with a software interface to produce a device capable of generating OTP keys and true random bit streams. The project consisted of several critical elements which included the design and implementation of both hardware and software subsystems into a fully functional true random hardware generator (TRNG) which could output the random data via a software interface and the subsequent testing of data using statistical test suites.

Aims

1. Apply a series of statistical tests to certify that the random number generator satisfies the Federal Information Processing Standards for Secure Communications (FIPS 140-2).

2. Construct a software interface for the generator to interact directly with an external secure computer and extend the hardware number generator beyond One Time Pad through the use of software and hardware interfacing.

3. Capture data from a white noise source in order to produce random bit streams for use within the One Time Pad algorithm by using a hardware based sampling method.

4. Design the circuit such that it can fit into a form factor of a USB stick, by using an on-board processor instead of a developer board.

Significance

The One Time Pad generator allows for true random bit streams to be produced using a cheap and convenient form factor with very robust and relatively high throughput when compared to some of the commercial true random number generators available on the market currently. These random bit streams are able to feed a large variety of software based applications which use random numbers as their primary input. These applications are implemented across a wide range of different industries such as security, medical and academic research, testing suites and entertainment. Some examples of these applications include being used security and safety critical systems to feed encryption algorithms to academic research where truly random data is needed to test the response of a certain phenomena to record unpredictable output. Another aspect of the generator is how it sends the data in real time to the PC. By using analogue to digital conversion technique it is possible with some modifications to perform real time analysis of various analog signals by simply by connecting it the the generator. The uses of having a real time analysis hardware tool to observe different real time sources can be significant in many industries as well.