Network Working Group D. Eastlake 3rd
Request for Comments: 2777 Motorola
Category: Informational February 2000
Publicly Verifiable Nomcom Random Selection
Status of this Memo
This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does
not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this
memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2000). All Rights Reserved.
Abstract
This document describes a method for making random selections in such
a way that the unbiased nature of the choice is publicly verifiable.
As an example, the selection of the voting members of the IETF
Nominations Committee from the pool of eligible volunteers is used.
Similar techniques would be applicable to other cases.
Acknowledgement
Matt Crawford made major contributions to this document.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction............................................2
2. General Flow of a Publicly Verifiable Process...........2
2.1 Determination of the Pool..............................2
2.2 Publication of the Algorithm...........................2
2.3 Publication of Selection...............................3
3. Randomness..............................................3
3.1 Sources of Randomness..................................3
3.2 Skew...................................................4
3.3 Entropy Needed.........................................4
4. A Suggested Precise Algorithm...........................5
5. Fully Worked Example....................................6
6. Security Considerations.................................7
7. Reference Code.........................................8
Appendix: History of NomCom Member Selection..............14
References................................................15
Author's Address..........................................15
Full Copyright Statement..................................16
Eastlake Informational