Yarrow algorithm

The Yarrow algorithm is a cryptographically secure pseudo random number generator. The name comes from the English word for the Yarrow Yarrow plant whose dried stalks are used for example for the I -Ching divination.

Yarrow was designed by Bruce Schneier, John Kelsey, and Niels Ferguson 1999 in Counterpane Labs. The Yarrow algorithm is explicitly unpatented and available without royalties.

It is used among other things in Mac OS X and FreeBSD for / dev / random device.

In her book Practical Cryptography Schneier and Ferguson describe an enhanced version of the algorithm.

  • Pseudo-random number generator
License /dev/random
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