[Cryptech Tech] Noise board on Novena

[Benedikt Stockebrand]

Hi Joachim and list,

Joachim Strömbergson <joachim at secworks.se> writes:

> Benedikt Stockebrand wrote:
>> Now, I'm kind of unhappy with the "alive" pin; this implies that 
>> there's still an MCU checking on the state of the noise interface. 
>> But with the edge algorithm there shouldn't be much need for 
>> that---you'll just notice that you don't get any more noise bits
>> from that if things fail.
>
> The "enabled" signal (if that is what you mean with "alive" pin) is
> internally in the fpga and is used to the the mixer that there will be
> data availabe from that specific entropy source (eventually) and
> therefore should be in the round, robin scheme. Unless you do the FPGA
> module part you should not have to consider it.

OK, I misread that as "there's an external pin where the noise/entropy
source signals if it is good or not".

One of these days I'll get used to talking about signals and such being
inside an FPGA and not just outside:-)


Cheers,

    Benedikt

-- 
Benedikt Stockebrand,                   Stepladder IT Training+Consulting
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