[fpc-pascal] quality of FPC random

[Mark Morgan Lloyd]

Michael Schnell wrote:
> On 08/14/2015 03:47 PM, Jonas Maebe wrote:
>>
>>>   My question is: is FPC built-in PRNG good enough as comparing to 
>>> /dev/urandom?
>>
>> No PRNG is suited for that purpose, because every PRNG is by 
>> definition predictable and you need unpredictable numbers for IVs.
>>
> 
> How should /dev/urandom not be predictable (as any software random 
> generator is)  ?

It seeds itself with "entropy" from the intervals between LAN packets, 
intervals between typed characters and so on.

> Decent Wifi hubs use hardware of some kind.

Noise diode, entropy as discussed above, etc. Or they've got broken 
security, which probably describes the majority.

-- 
Mark Morgan Lloyd
markMLl .AT. telemetry.co .DOT. uk

[Opinions above are the author's, not those of his employers or colleagues]