Low-cost implementations of on-the-fly tests for random number generators

Random number generators (RNG) are important components in various cryptographic systems. Embedded security systems often require a high-quality digital source of randomness. Still, randomness of an RNG can vary due to aging effects, temperature or process conditions or intentional active attacks. This paper presents efficient, compact and reliable hardware implementations of 8 tests from the NIST test suite for statistical evaluation of randomness. These tests can be used for on-the-fly quality monitoring of on-chip random number generators as well as for fast hardware evaluation of RNG designs.