Extracting entropy from the vibration of multiple machines

• US 9,454,346 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2015
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boenisch, Volker, Buendgen, Reinhard, Geisert, Franziska, Lang, Jakob, Lattermann, Mareike, Notohardjono, Budy D, Nunez-Mencias, Angel
• Primary Examiner(s): DADA, BEEMNET W
• Application Number:
  US14/949,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20160077804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2207/3804 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/588 Random number generators, i.e. based on natural stochastic processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/24 Key scheduling, i.e. generating round keys or sub-keys for block encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0869 involving random numbers or seeds

Abstract

Generating a pool of random numbers for use by computer applications. Vibration sensors are placed throughout a machine and collect entropy data from the measurements of the vibration sensors. The data is then filtered and sent via secure connection to a second machine to be added to the second machine'"'"'s entropy pool. Applications needing a random number may acquire a number from the pool. A method, computer program product and system to generate the pool are provided.

Claims

1. A method to utilize the vibration of a machine for random number generation, the method comprising:

acquiring, by at least one sensor on a first machine, analog vibration data;

converting, by a computer processor of the first machine, the analog vibration data to digital data form;

filtering, by the computer processor of the first machine, the digital data;

transmitting the filtered vibration data to a second machine; and

storing the filtered data within a memory unit of the second machine, thereby forming a random number pool from the filtered data from which random numbers may be selected;

wherein the filtered vibration data is encrypted and signed by the first machine prior to transmission to the second machine; and

wherein in response to the sensor detecting no vibration, the processor attempts to collect vibration data from a second sensor.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to monitor a cooling component of the first machine.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise tri-axial accelerometers imbedded in motor drives assemblies of rotating components within the machine.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein filtering comprises removing the non random parts of numbers.

5. A computer program product for random number generation for security relevant features of cryptography applications, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code readable by a computer processor to perform a method comprising;

acquiring, by at least one sensor on a first machine, analog vibration data;

converting, by a computer processor of the first machine, the analog vibration data to digital data form;

filtering, by the computer processor of the first machine, the digital data;

transmitting the filtered vibration data to a second machine; and

storing the filtered data within a memory unit of the second machine, thereby forming a random number pool from which random numbers may be selected;

wherein the filtered vibration data is encrypted and signed by the first machine prior to transmission to the second machine; and

wherein in response to the sensor detecting no vibration, the processor attempts to collect vibration data from a second sensor.

6. The computer program product according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is configured to monitor a cooling component of the first machine.

7. The computer program product according to claim 5, wherein the sensors comprise tri-axial accelerometers imbedded in motor drives assemblies of rotating components within the machine.

8. The computer program product according to claim 5, wherein filtering comprises removing the non random parts of numbers.

9. A computer system to generate random numbers, the system comprising:

a computer processor on a first machine;

at least one sensor in communication with the processor for acquiring analog vibration data from the first machine;

wherein the computer processor is configured to;

convert analog vibration data to digital data form;

filter the digital data; and

transmit the filtered vibration data to a second machine for storage by the second machine within a memory unit of the second machine, thereby forming a random number pool from which random numbers may be selected;

wherein the filtered vibration data is encrypted and signed by the first machine prior to transmission to the second machine; and

wherein in response to the sensor detecting no vibration, the processor attempts to collect vibration data from a second sensor.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the sensor is configured to monitor a cooling component of the first machine.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the sensors comprise tri-axial accelerometers imbedded in motor drives assemblies of rotating components within the machine.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein filtering comprises removing the non random parts of numbers.