Efficient FPGA implementation of high-speed true random number generator

High-speed true random number generator is a building block in the modern information security system. We propose and demonstrate an efficient high-speed true random number generator based on multiple parallel self-timed rings (STRs). To improve the security, we evaluate the randomness of the entropy source by min-entropy and exploit the information-theoretically provable Toeplitz-hashing extractor. To minimize the consumption of hardware resources of a field programmable gate array at a predetermined high throughput and maximize the throughput with the limited hardware resources, we systematically derive and investigate the dependence of the data throughput and the total consumed resources of the random number generator on the system parameters. On this basis, we make a joint optimization for the degree of parallelism of the STRs and the extraction efficiency of the extractor. A 10-Gbps true random number generator is implemented efficiently, so that the output random bits can pass all the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Dieharder test suites.

Automated summary

An efficient high-speed true random number generator based on multiple parallel self-timed rings is proposed and demonstrated in this study, which evaluates and improves randomness of the entropy source using min-entropy and a Toeplitz-hashing extractor. Optimization of data throughput and hardware resource consumption is systematically investigated to implement a 10-Gbps true random number generator that passes NIST and Dieharder test suites.