System and method for random number generation using asynchronous boundaries and phase locked loops

摘要

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for generating random data at an early stage in a boot process. A system practicing the method performs, by a processor based on a first clock, a group of reads of a counter running on a second clock to yield entropy words. In order to produce words with entropy, the system introduces a progressively increasing delay between each of the group of reads of the counter. The system generates entropy words by filling the buffer with successive reads of the least significant bit of the counter and then generates random data by applying a hash algorithm to the entropy words stored in the buffer.

主权项

1. A method of generating random data, the method comprising:
performing, by a processing device, a plurality of reads of a counter running on a second clock to yield entropy words, wherein the plurality of reads of the counter are based on a first clock, and wherein each subsequent read of the plurality of reads is performed after a progressively increasing delay; filling a buffer with the entropy words; and generating random data by processing the entropy words stored in the buffer.