Appraisal of a Random Bit Generator Utilizing Smartphone Sensors as Entropy Source

We aim to access entropy sources available within smartphones in order to construct and evaluate a random number generator which is competitive in comparison with existing and proven random number generators. A prototype utilizing the herein proposed algorithm shall generate data that can be tested against the Statistical Test Suit provided by NIST. Although our initial intention of using cosmic radiation failed, we were able to extract randomness from incoming video and audio sources. We found that it is possible to access these sources of entropy utilizing sensors from smartphones resulting in 15 out of 15 successful passed tests within the Statistical Test Suit. We also found that wrong methods of sensor data collection using our prototype eventually generates weak random numbers and fails NIST's Statistical Test Suit. Finally, we suggest that in order to reach the initial goal of providing a smartphone-based true nondeterministic random number generator the detection of muons shall be researched.

Incidental Data: Observation of Privacy Compromising Data on Social Media Platforms

Social media plays an important role for a vast majority in one's internet life. Likewise, sharing, publishing and posting content through social media became nearly effortless. This unleashes new threats as unintentionally shared information may be used against oneself or beloved ones. With open source intelligence data and methods, we show how unindented published data can be revealed and further analyze possibilities that can potentially compromise one's privacy. This is backed up by a popular view from interviewed experts from various fields of expertise. We were able to show that only 2 hours of manually fetching data are sufficient in order to unveil private personal information that was not intended to be published by the person. Two distinctive methods are described with several approaches. From our results, we were able to describe a thirteen-step awareness guideline and proposed a change of law within Austrian legislation. Our work has shown that awareness among persons on social media needs to be raised. Critically reflecting on our work has revealed several ethical implications that made countermeasures necessary; however, it can be assumed that criminals do not do that.