Hardware Based True Random Number Generator (TRNG)

Abstract

Random numbers are crucial in various fields, like generating cipher keys in cryptography, ensuring fairness and randomness in online gaming platforms, modelling random events and procsses accurately in simulations, and producing random samples for scientific experiments. In recent years, true random number generators (TRNGs) have become increasingly popular due to their ability to produce unpredictable and unbiased random numbers. This project aims to design and implement a TRNG using a combination of a random bit generator version 3 (RBG3) and a deterministic random bit generator (DRBG) based on the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256 algorithm, in accordance with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines. RBG3 is a type of TRNG that utilizes the principle of entropy, which refers to the unpredictability of a random event. Entropy is generated by measuring physical phenomena, such as ring oscillator and zener diode breakdown, subsequently converting the analog values into random bits using a microcontroller. DRBGs, on the other hand, generate random numbers based on a deterministic algorithm and a secret seed value. The evaluation of the 8 | P a g e TRNG's performance using various health tests will provide insights into its strengths and limitations which will allow further improvements to be made before being deployed.