Crypto Quantique, a provider of quantum-driven security solutions for IoT, has announced the creation of a randomness test suite specifically designed for Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs). This suite, named TuRiNG, addresses the distinct challenges associated with testing PUFs, which are increasingly employed in semiconductors to generate secure, regenerable random numbers. These random numbers are essential for device security, forming the foundation for unique device identities and cryptographic key generation.
Unlike conventional Random Number Generators (RNGs), PUFs produce a fixed-length output, making existing randomness tests inadequate for assessing their suitability, which is critical for establishing a secure device root-of-trust (RoT). The TuRiNG suite adapts tests from the NIST 800-22 suite to better align with the specific characteristics of PUFs, such as spatial dependencies and limited output length.
The suite introduces a new test to ensure the independence of PUF outputs, a key factor in maintaining cryptographic security by detecting any correlated outputs. It is designed to be both thorough and practical, ensuring that PUFs satisfy randomness requirements without imposing excessive data demands. The tests are run in various data orderings to account for potential spatial correlations in PUF outputs.
By reducing the number of bits required for certain tests, the suite enables more efficient testing, minimising the risk of misrepresenting PUF quality. This development is expected to transform how randomness is validated in PUFs, providing a reliable method to ensure the security of cryptographic systems in IoT devices.
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