Impressive crypto numbers for VIA's latest C3

Sunner

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Theo de Raadt posted some numbers over at deadly.org.
Seems like one of the mini-ITX mobos with dual ethernet ports and one of the new C3's would make a kickass firewall.
 

n0cmonkey

Elite Member
Jun 10, 2001
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I'm planning on buying one for my next firewall. Those numbers are absolutely amazing. Possibly the coolest thing to happen in PC processors since x86-64 ;)

Combine the Nehemia C3 (533mhz -fanless), a fanless powersupply, a 2 ethernet motherboard, maybe a wireless PCI or USB adapter, and a small spot under the desk and you have a low power solution for firewalling and wireless access points running OpenBSD. Or atleast that's my plan :D
 

n0cmonkey

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Jun 10, 2001
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Originally posted by: Sunner
I was thinking something along those lines too :)

Let us know how it goes.

It won't be happening for another month or two, but I'll post something up when I'm done with it. I'm doing about the same thing with my pentium 133 now, but there are a few differences ;)
 

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
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Interesting read. You don't hear much about the Via C3 these days. It's quite an accomplishment, really. Good find. :)
 

mcveigh

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2000
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what about a case for it? I have had the same thought but I want a small cheap case. all the ones I see are either too big, too small or way expensive.
 

Sunner

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Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: mcveigh
what about a case for it? I have had the same thought but I want a small cheap case. all the ones I see are either too big, too small or way expensive.

I've seen them around $75 for a chassi including the PSU.
 

buleyb

Golden Member
Aug 12, 2002
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Just to point out, Rijndael was chosen for AES partially because of its ability to be efficiently implemented in hardware. This shows how good it really is :)
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
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Speaking of security, didn't Intel come up with a chip awhile ago that could produce truly random numbers, based on electron noise? Whatever happened to that? If anyone knows of this, maybe you could post a link. I know it was a few years ago that I read about it though.
 

n0cmonkey

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Jun 10, 2001
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Originally posted by: Jeff7
Speaking of security, didn't Intel come up with a chip awhile ago that could produce truly random numbers, based on electron noise? Whatever happened to that? If anyone knows of this, maybe you could post a link. I know it was a few years ago that I read about it though.

I don't know if there is such a thing as truly random numbers. I know Intel has a RNG built into quite a few of their motherboards. I think the i810 chipset was among the first to have the chip.

Intel 82802 random number generator found on i810, i815, i820, i840, i850 and i860 based systems.
From this OpenBSD page.
 

buleyb

Golden Member
Aug 12, 2002
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Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Originally posted by: Jeff7
Speaking of security, didn't Intel come up with a chip awhile ago that could produce truly random numbers, based on electron noise? Whatever happened to that? If anyone knows of this, maybe you could post a link. I know it was a few years ago that I read about it though.

I don't know if there is such a thing as truly random numbers. I know Intel has a RNG built into quite a few of their motherboards. I think the i810 chipset was among the first to have the chip.
]

Agreed. If you take something that in theory is random, and apply it to a process, a pattern is unavoidable.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
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Originally posted by: buleyb
Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Originally posted by: Jeff7
Speaking of security, didn't Intel come up with a chip awhile ago that could produce truly random numbers, based on electron noise? Whatever happened to that? If anyone knows of this, maybe you could post a link. I know it was a few years ago that I read about it though.

I don't know if there is such a thing as truly random numbers. I know Intel has a RNG built into quite a few of their motherboards. I think the i810 chipset was among the first to have the chip.
]

Agreed. If you take something that in theory is random, and apply it to a process, a pattern is unavoidable.

Random.org can give truly random numbers. I'll have to read that entire page there when I get time; they give a few sources of entropy though - radioactive decay, atmospheric noise, lava lamps, CCD's...
 

zephyrprime

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
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Speaking of security, didn't Intel come up with a chip awhile ago that could produce truly random numbers, based on electron noise? Whatever happened to that? If anyone knows of this, maybe you could post a link. I know it was a few years ago that I read about it though.
Yes, I remember this. It's actually pretty easy to do. I had a lab in physics involving the effect once. The technique is apparently implemented in the C3. Go figure.
 
Jan 31, 2002
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Originally posted by: zephyrprime
Speaking of security, didn't Intel come up with a chip awhile ago that could produce truly random numbers, based on electron noise? Whatever happened to that? If anyone knows of this, maybe you could post a link. I know it was a few years ago that I read about it though.
Yes, I remember this. It's actually pretty easy to do. I had a lab in physics involving the effect once. The technique is apparently implemented in the C3. Go figure.

PadLock, they call it.

For the truly hardcore, Cryptography.org has a review here

- M4H
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
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NSA makes up random numbers all the time by monitoring atmospheric white noise
 

n0cmonkey

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Jun 10, 2001
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Originally posted by: Sunner
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Originally posted by: ElFenix
NSA makes up random numbers all the time by monitoring atmospheric white noise

I'd rather have a VIA C3 than the NSA in my machine. ;)

- M4H

Starting with Fedora Core 2, anyone installing it will have a little NSA in their box ;)

http://www.nsa.gov/selinux/.

It's like a Cap'n Crunch commercial: "A little NSA in every box!"