FG is a joy to use. I can not think of an easier piece of hardware to install and use -- be it a keyboard or a hard drive. Granted, I had to recompile a kernel to get the USB TTY adapter to show up, but that is arguably not a strike against FG itself. The thing just works. Plug it in and right away see data flow forth. I used it to create two files over the course of about four days, and ran them through the recommended tests.
peninnah ~ # du -h fg.bin
1.4G fg.bin
peninnah ~ # ent fg.bin
Entropy = 8.000000 bits per byte.
Optimum compression would reduce the size
of this 1465266688 byte file by 0 percent.
Chi square distribution for 1465266688 samples is 261.00, and randomly
would exceed this value 38.48 percent of the times.
Arithmetic mean value of data bytes is 127.5008 (127.5 = random).
Monte Carlo value for Pi is 3.141552305 (error 0.00 percent).
Serial correlation coefficient is -0.000011 (totally uncorrelated = 0.0).
peninnah ~ # dieharder -a -g 201 -f fg.bin
#=============================================================================#
# dieharder version 3.31.1 Copyright 2003 Robert G. Brown #
#=============================================================================#
rng_name | filename |rands/second|
file_input_raw| fg.bin| 1.55e+07 |
#=============================================================================#
test_name |ntup| tsamples |psamples| p-value |Assessment
#=============================================================================#
diehard_birthdays| 0| 100| 100|0.87587112| PASSED
diehard_operm5| 0| 1000000| 100|0.96015925| PASSED
diehard_rank_32x32| 0| 40000| 100|0.63388649| PASSED
diehard_rank_6x8| 0| 100000| 100|0.42921798| PASSED
diehard_bitstream| 0| 2097152| 100|0.66727620| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 1 times
diehard_opso| 0| 2097152| 100|0.78465705| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 1 times
diehard_oqso| 0| 2097152| 100|0.74785318| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 2 times
diehard_dna| 0| 2097152| 100|0.29367572| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 2 times
diehard_count_1s_str| 0| 256000| 100|0.99999624| WEAK
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 2 times
diehard_count_1s_byt| 0| 256000| 100|0.17355435| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 2 times
diehard_parking_lot| 0| 12000| 100|0.79600924| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 2 times
diehard_2dsphere| 2| 8000| 100|0.21990710| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 2 times
diehard_3dsphere| 3| 4000| 100|0.19449387| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 3 times
diehard_squeeze| 0| 100000| 100|0.74343805| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 3 times
diehard_sums| 0| 100| 100|0.62449613| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 3 times
diehard_runs| 0| 100000| 100|0.64815009| PASSED
diehard_runs| 0| 100000| 100|0.65768515| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 3 times
diehard_craps| 0| 200000| 100|0.59858631| PASSED
diehard_craps| 0| 200000| 100|0.69964834| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 8 times
marsaglia_tsang_gcd| 0| 10000000| 100|0.48645093| PASSED
marsaglia_tsang_gcd| 0| 10000000| 100|0.92449907| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 8 times
sts_monobit| 1| 100000| 100|0.14747070| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 8 times
sts_runs| 2| 100000| 100|0.43752663| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 8 times
sts_serial| 1| 100000| 100|0.49942085| PASSED
sts_serial| 2| 100000| 100|0.79110527| PASSED
sts_serial| 3| 100000| 100|0.13521837| PASSED
sts_serial| 3| 100000| 100|0.75936926| PASSED
sts_serial| 4| 100000| 100|0.71378645| PASSED
sts_serial| 4| 100000| 100|0.82458666| PASSED
sts_serial| 5| 100000| 100|0.91349881| PASSED
sts_serial| 5| 100000| 100|0.77236497| PASSED
sts_serial| 6| 100000| 100|0.83690635| PASSED
sts_serial| 6| 100000| 100|0.11520241| PASSED
sts_serial| 7| 100000| 100|0.59018155| PASSED
sts_serial| 7| 100000| 100|0.71582962| PASSED
sts_serial| 8| 100000| 100|0.94832462| PASSED
sts_serial| 8| 100000| 100|0.79664845| PASSED
sts_serial| 9| 100000| 100|0.61190018| PASSED
sts_serial| 9| 100000| 100|0.46706842| PASSED
sts_serial| 10| 100000| 100|0.59175209| PASSED
sts_serial| 10| 100000| 100|0.43626668| PASSED
sts_serial| 11| 100000| 100|0.07062130| PASSED
sts_serial| 11| 100000| 100|0.06074906| PASSED
sts_serial| 12| 100000| 100|0.33158937| PASSED
sts_serial| 12| 100000| 100|0.39439959| PASSED
sts_serial| 13| 100000| 100|0.46472363| PASSED
sts_serial| 13| 100000| 100|0.51269561| PASSED
sts_serial| 14| 100000| 100|0.07918865| PASSED
sts_serial| 14| 100000| 100|0.16238744| PASSED
sts_serial| 15| 100000| 100|0.15625993| PASSED
sts_serial| 15| 100000| 100|0.97190190| PASSED
sts_serial| 16| 100000| 100|0.07682345| PASSED
sts_serial| 16| 100000| 100|0.58495694| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 9 times
rgb_bitdist| 1| 100000| 100|0.91212650| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 9 times
rgb_bitdist| 2| 100000| 100|0.68566372| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 9 times
rgb_bitdist| 3| 100000| 100|0.24740597| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 9 times
rgb_bitdist| 4| 100000| 100|0.92670153| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 9 times
rgb_bitdist| 5| 100000| 100|0.58055076| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 10 times
rgb_bitdist| 6| 100000| 100|0.24329557| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 10 times
rgb_bitdist| 7| 100000| 100|0.28990384| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 10 times
rgb_bitdist| 8| 100000| 100|0.06298846| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 11 times
rgb_bitdist| 9| 100000| 100|0.55779701| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 11 times
rgb_bitdist| 10| 100000| 100|0.10205715| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 12 times
rgb_bitdist| 11| 100000| 100|0.43845244| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 13 times
rgb_bitdist| 12| 100000| 100|0.81873239| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 13 times
rgb_minimum_distance| 2| 10000| 1000|0.86683062| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 13 times
rgb_minimum_distance| 3| 10000| 1000|0.95287146| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 13 times
rgb_minimum_distance| 4| 10000| 1000|0.15691677| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 13 times
rgb_minimum_distance| 5| 10000| 1000|0.87747412| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 13 times
rgb_permutations| 2| 100000| 100|0.47847209| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 13 times
rgb_permutations| 3| 100000| 100|0.82402816| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 13 times
rgb_permutations| 4| 100000| 100|0.17345085| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 13 times
rgb_permutations| 5| 100000| 100|0.96936326| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 14 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 0| 1000000| 100|0.34427016| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 14 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 1| 1000000| 100|0.40381806| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 15 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 2| 1000000| 100|0.19408856| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 16 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 3| 1000000| 100|0.92897681| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 18 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 4| 1000000| 100|0.16649980| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 19 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 5| 1000000| 100|0.61412624| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 21 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 6| 1000000| 100|0.42159442| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 23 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 7| 1000000| 100|0.48185104| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 26 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 8| 1000000| 100|0.75025588| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 29 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 9| 1000000| 100|0.49625842| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 32 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 10| 1000000| 100|0.74186420| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 35 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 11| 1000000| 100|0.95075159| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 38 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 12| 1000000| 100|0.20457436| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 42 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 13| 1000000| 100|0.38380392| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 46 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 14| 1000000| 100|0.36071578| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 51 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 15| 1000000| 100|0.00829390| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 55 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 16| 1000000| 100|0.57666395| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 60 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 17| 1000000| 100|0.76473173| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 65 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 18| 1000000| 100|0.41578459| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 71 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 19| 1000000| 100|0.99159799| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 77 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 20| 1000000| 100|0.32769294| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 83 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 21| 1000000| 100|0.93908723| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 89 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 22| 1000000| 100|0.21834900| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 95 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 23| 1000000| 100|0.77669306| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 102 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 24| 1000000| 100|0.67332002| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 109 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 25| 1000000| 100|0.38258605| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 117 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 26| 1000000| 100|0.04205557| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 124 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 27| 1000000| 100|0.97791293| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 132 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 28| 1000000| 100|0.65316434| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 140 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 29| 1000000| 100|0.80146132| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 149 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 30| 1000000| 100|0.37987553| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 158 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 31| 1000000| 100|0.00162210| WEAK
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 167 times
rgb_lagged_sum| 32| 1000000| 100|0.63803843| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 167 times
rgb_kstest_test| 0| 10000| 1000|0.96115995| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 167 times
dab_bytedistrib| 0| 51200000| 1|0.31793136| PASSED
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 167 times
dab_dct| 256| 50000| 1|0.45562880| PASSED
Preparing to run test 207. ntuple = 0
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 167 times
dab_filltree| 32| 15000000| 1|0.79566020| PASSED
dab_filltree| 32| 15000000| 1|0.01492029| PASSED
Preparing to run test 208. ntuple = 0
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 168 times
dab_filltree2| 0| 5000000| 1|0.88946088| PASSED
dab_filltree2| 1| 5000000| 1|0.66182840| PASSED
Preparing to run test 209. ntuple = 0
# The file file_input_raw was rewound 168 times
dab_monobit2| 12| 65000000| 1|0.42576186| PASSED
peninnah ~ # du -h fg2.bin
1.3G fg2.bin
peninnah ~ # ent fg2.bin
Entropy = 8.000000 bits per byte.
Optimum compression would reduce the size
of this 1303843328 byte file by 0 percent.
Chi square distribution for 1303843328 samples is 284.35, and randomly
would exceed this value 9.99 percent of the times.
Arithmetic mean value of data bytes is 127.4954 (127.5 = random).
Monte Carlo value for Pi is 3.141632114 (error 0.00 percent).
Serial correlation coefficient is -0.000032 (totally uncorrelated = 0.0).
peninnah ~ # dieharder -a -g 201 -f fg2.bin
#=============================================================================#
# dieharder version 3.31.1 Copyright 2003 Robert G. Brown #
#=============================================================================#
rng_name | filename |rands/second|
file_input_raw| fg2.bin| 2.25e+07 |
#=============================================================================#
test_name |ntup| tsamples |psamples| p-value |Assessment
#=============================================================================#
diehard_birthdays| 0| 100| 100|0.51690876| PASSED
diehard_operm5| 0| 1000000| 100|0.40346765| PASSED
diehard_rank_32x32| 0| 40000| 100|0.93217934| PASSED
diehard_rank_6x8| 0| 100000| 100|0.43367847| PASSED
diehard_bitstream| 0| 2097152| 100|0.66720249| PASSED
diehard_opso| 0| 2097152| 100|0.86010573| PASSED
diehard_oqso| 0| 2097152| 100|0.24593153| PASSED
diehard_dna| 0| 2097152| 100|0.06138150| PASSED
diehard_count_1s_str| 0| 256000| 100|0.43683325| PASSED
diehard_count_1s_byt| 0| 256000| 100|0.35921097| PASSED
diehard_parking_lot| 0| 12000| 100|0.66609484| PASSED
diehard_2dsphere| 2| 8000| 100|0.89297189| PASSED
diehard_3dsphere| 3| 4000| 100|0.96687561| PASSED
diehard_squeeze| 0| 100000| 100|0.72926845| PASSED
diehard_sums| 0| 100| 100|0.00070732| WEAK
diehard_runs| 0| 100000| 100|0.58813360| PASSED
diehard_runs| 0| 100000| 100|0.85788145| PASSED
diehard_craps| 0| 200000| 100|0.72997672| PASSED
diehard_craps| 0| 200000| 100|0.78468205| PASSED
marsaglia_tsang_gcd| 0| 10000000| 100|0.00004506| WEAK
marsaglia_tsang_gcd| 0| 10000000| 100|0.55156943| PASSED
sts_monobit| 1| 100000| 100|0.45774566| PASSED
sts_runs| 2| 100000| 100|0.96042269| PASSED
sts_serial| 1| 100000| 100|0.99443515| PASSED
sts_serial| 2| 100000| 100|0.10639532| PASSED
sts_serial| 3| 100000| 100|0.75641448| PASSED
sts_serial| 3| 100000| 100|0.90420108| PASSED
sts_serial| 4| 100000| 100|0.75016342| PASSED
sts_serial| 4| 100000| 100|0.08575288| PASSED
sts_serial| 5| 100000| 100|0.03281594| PASSED
sts_serial| 5| 100000| 100|0.19524235| PASSED
sts_serial| 6| 100000| 100|0.25109686| PASSED
sts_serial| 6| 100000| 100|0.58659811| PASSED
sts_serial| 7| 100000| 100|0.43221129| PASSED
sts_serial| 7| 100000| 100|0.81175508| PASSED
sts_serial| 8| 100000| 100|0.63456658| PASSED
sts_serial| 8| 100000| 100|0.65063391| PASSED
sts_serial| 9| 100000| 100|0.58288735| PASSED
sts_serial| 9| 100000| 100|0.71193409| PASSED
sts_serial| 10| 100000| 100|0.62519797| PASSED
sts_serial| 10| 100000| 100|0.55146077| PASSED
sts_serial| 11| 100000| 100|0.76770489| PASSED
sts_serial| 11| 100000| 100|0.59139324| PASSED
sts_serial| 12| 100000| 100|0.94453984| PASSED
sts_serial| 12| 100000| 100|0.94841134| PASSED
sts_serial| 13| 100000| 100|0.31653993| PASSED
sts_serial| 13| 100000| 100|0.14829483| PASSED
sts_serial| 14| 100000| 100|0.42320056| PASSED
sts_serial| 14| 100000| 100|0.10925685| PASSED
sts_serial| 15| 100000| 100|0.83878977| PASSED
sts_serial| 15| 100000| 100|0.25782489| PASSED
sts_serial| 16| 100000| 100|0.66793322| PASSED
sts_serial| 16| 100000| 100|0.55162347| PASSED
rgb_bitdist| 1| 100000| 100|0.89591957| PASSED
rgb_bitdist| 2| 100000| 100|0.98614161| PASSED
rgb_bitdist| 3| 100000| 100|0.80316018| PASSED
rgb_bitdist| 4| 100000| 100|0.89736784| PASSED
rgb_bitdist| 5| 100000| 100|0.29428507| PASSED
rgb_bitdist| 6| 100000| 100|0.95422575| PASSED
rgb_bitdist| 7| 100000| 100|0.39659444| PASSED
rgb_bitdist| 8| 100000| 100|0.46010761| PASSED
rgb_bitdist| 9| 100000| 100|0.76510075| PASSED
rgb_bitdist| 10| 100000| 100|0.95714334| PASSED
rgb_bitdist| 11| 100000| 100|0.35646381| PASSED
rgb_bitdist| 12| 100000| 100|0.98517330| PASSED
rgb_minimum_distance| 2| 10000| 1000|0.34562317| PASSED
rgb_minimum_distance| 3| 10000| 1000|0.00929810| PASSED
rgb_minimum_distance| 4| 10000| 1000|0.75795839| PASSED
rgb_minimum_distance| 5| 10000| 1000|0.00873640| PASSED
rgb_permutations| 2| 100000| 100|0.49694367| PASSED
rgb_permutations| 3| 100000| 100|0.65402344| PASSED
rgb_permutations| 4| 100000| 100|0.79788641| PASSED
rgb_permutations| 5| 100000| 100|0.58529553| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 0| 1000000| 100|0.52287218| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 1| 1000000| 100|0.22764333| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 2| 1000000| 100|0.17172871| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 3| 1000000| 100|0.05124946| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 4| 1000000| 100|0.49713592| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 5| 1000000| 100|0.45635542| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 6| 1000000| 100|0.96830965| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 7| 1000000| 100|0.53419506| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 8| 1000000| 100|0.86494381| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 9| 1000000| 100|0.72881545| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 10| 1000000| 100|0.56544878| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 11| 1000000| 100|0.43609672| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 12| 1000000| 100|0.91400206| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 13| 1000000| 100|0.60227275| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 14| 1000000| 100|0.56538826| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 15| 1000000| 100|0.06302978| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 16| 1000000| 100|0.16808054| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 17| 1000000| 100|0.55036083| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 18| 1000000| 100|0.93720548| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 19| 1000000| 100|0.37353185| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 20| 1000000| 100|0.13472207| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 21| 1000000| 100|0.44509225| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 22| 1000000| 100|0.76205513| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 23| 1000000| 100|0.62304135| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 24| 1000000| 100|0.39094558| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 25| 1000000| 100|0.50961722| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 26| 1000000| 100|0.15803949| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 27| 1000000| 100|0.09251363| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 28| 1000000| 100|0.58331044| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 29| 1000000| 100|0.12363069| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 30| 1000000| 100|0.71458079| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 31| 1000000| 100|0.66807924| PASSED
rgb_lagged_sum| 32| 1000000| 100|0.65399068| PASSED
rgb_kstest_test| 0| 10000| 1000|0.02178401| PASSED
dab_bytedistrib| 0| 51200000| 1|0.36573309| PASSED
dab_dct| 256| 50000| 1|0.56628701| PASSED
Preparing to run test 207. ntuple = 0
dab_filltree| 32| 15000000| 1|0.28801332| PASSED
dab_filltree| 32| 15000000| 1|0.59182162| PASSED
Preparing to run test 208. ntuple = 0
dab_filltree2| 0| 5000000| 1|0.19562700| PASSED
dab_filltree2| 1| 5000000| 1|0.13690412| PASSED
Preparing to run test 209. ntuple = 0
dab_monobit2| 12| 65000000| 1|0.52568327| PASSED
As another test, I used a FG to seed /dev/random via something called rngdi and then told gnupg to generate a new 4096 bit key. It was done within a minute, whereas a very similar machine operating without a FG took several minutes. I don't know if this is the right way to generate a key using such a device. I get strange results catting it directly into /dev/random -- if I then cat /dev/random > somewhere.bin the data barely trickles out. Even the rngd thing goes slow relative to a direct dd from /dev/myFG, and I know from very quick research that this is likely the result of obnoxious built-in saftey measures on /dev/random.
- Gentoo has it in the sys-apps/rng-tools package. ↩
[...] now. Others have done of course better than me and published their own tests waaaaay faster: mod6, danielpbarron, trinque, BingoBoingo. How about you, what's your own FG saying to you? Hey, they have been [...]