Preface

Standards development within the Information Technology sector is harmonized with international standards development. Through the CSA Technical Committee on Information Technology (TCIT), Canadians serve as the Canadian Advisory Committee (CAC) on ISO/IEC Joint Technical Committee 1 on Information Technology (ISO/IEC JTC1) for the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), the ISO member body for Canada and sponsor of the Canadian National Committee of the IEC. Also, as a member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Canada participates in the International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (ITU-T).

This Standard supersedes CAN/CSA-ISO/IEC 18031-06 (adoption of ISO/IEC 18031:2005). At the time of publication, ISO/IEC 18031:2011 is available from ISO and IEC in English only. CSA Group will publish the French version when it becomes available from ISO and IEC.

Scope

This International Standard specifies a conceptual model for a random bit generator for cryptographic purposes, together with the elements of this model.

This International Standard

- specifies the characteristics of the main elements required for a non-deterministic random bit generator,

- specifies the characteristics of the main elements required for a deterministic random bit generator,

- establishes the security requirements for both the non-deterministic and the deterministic random bit generator.

Where there is a requirement to produce sequences of random numbers from random bit strings, Annex B gives guidelines on how this can be performed.

Techniques for statistical testing of random bit generators for the purposes of independent verification or validation, and detailed designs for such generators, are outside the scope of this International Standard.