From: Eli Brandt <ebrandt@jarthur.Claremont.EDU>
Date: Wed, 6 Oct 93 14:15:21 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Strong PRNGs
In-Reply-To: <9310061511.AA21028@ellisun.sw.stratus.com>
Message-ID: <9310062111.AA00649@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


>Carl Ellison says:
> However, I can even see a point for using this for XOR encryption [I prefer
> not to call anything using a PRNG One-Time-Pad].  I can see two points,
> even:

Another point: it raises the possibility of an interesting loophole
in the ITAR.  Cryptographic hash functions are exportable, as "systems
for authentication", or something to that effect.  A random-number
generator based on a hash function should be exportable.  After all,
as you say, 
> I have many uses for random numbers and none of them is XOR encryption.

But such an RNG *could* be used for encryption.  If you package and
market it as such, you're asking for trouble.  But packaged as a
library routine in a simulation library?  It's not a fast PRNG, but
it should be pretty good statistically.

   Eli   ebrandt@jarthur.claremont.edu