Thread: True randomness and cryptography complexity

Hi everyone,
I'm new to the forums and I wish to ask a question. First of all I wasn't sure if this was the best place to put this question since it touches both computer science and physics.

I'm assuming the only true random factor is hidden away somewhere at the quantum scale.

Often it is said that computers(/programs) do not possess true randomness, they are deterministic. However isn't it so that a computer 'borrows' it's randomness from the fact that A) It's user decided to flip the switch (assuming consciousness in the brain is somehow rooted in randomness) and, B) that variations due to random quantum effects can possibly change the behavior of electrons moving through the computer's wires? Thus that it is actually pretty random?

I was thinking about how it might be possible to access this 'borrowed randomness' for use in cryptography applications or simulations that need to meet certain 'randomness' criteria.

I'm no scientist (which is why I'm asking) and I've a tendency to try to learn about subjects that are too complex for me to understand, so if you've got an answer please try to dumb it down

well for cryptography i was thinking about using a fractal. for big stuff. but mostly p!=np for people trying to crack passwords once its solved p=np. normal rules

Often it is said that computers(/programs) do not possess true randomness, they are deterministic. However isn't it so that a computer 'borrows' it's randomness from the fact that A) It's user decided to flip the switch (assuming consciousness in the brain is somehow rooted in randomness) and, B) that variations due to random quantum effects can possibly change the behavior of electrons moving through the computer's wires? Thus that it is actually pretty random?

I think you would have to be more specific about the kind of machine you are thinking of. The time at which a switch is flipped will inevitably be subject to some uncertainty, but what happens after it is flipped is probably deterministic. For example if a random series of digits such as 9328516..etc is produced on flipping the switch, the first digit could be random but those following it will be derived from some algorithm. Also, the random behaviour of electrons (noise) in a wire will only be apparent for small signals, i.e. signals which are smaller than the noise. I don't think computers would be affected by this unless they were deliberately designed to exploit the random nature of electronic noise.