Randomness Testing of the AES Candidate Algorithms

Abstract

One of the criteria used to evaluate the AES candidate algorithms was their demonstrated suitability as random number generators. That is, the evaluation of their output utilizing statistical tests should not provide any means by which to computationally distinguish them from a truly random source. This internal report lists several characteristics which an encryption algorithm exhibiting random behavior should possess, describes how the output for each candidate algorithm was evaluated for randomness, discusses what has been learned utilizing the NIST statistical tests, and finally provides an interpretation of the results. 1. Introduction One of the criteria used to evaluate the AES candidate algorithms was their demonstrated suitability as random number generators. That is, the evaluation of their outputs utilizing statistical tests should not provide any means by which to computationally distinguish them from truly random sources. The evaluation reported on here focused on 128-bi...