FIRMWARE HUB

10/14/2000

Firmware Hub: A term used by Intel for a logical device containing a hardware random number generator. The Firmware Hub was introduced in the Intel 800 series Chipsets. Apparently, the primary (only) feature is a true random number generator that creates random bit strings from electrical white noise thereby eliminating the (minimal) security concerns associated with software generated psuedo-random numbers.

The Firmware hub resides at port FFBC0160ff. In addition to being part of the 800 series chipsets, it is also sold as a separate hardware component. It also includes internal BIOS code apparently.

Why didn't Intel identify this device as a Random Number Generator rather than as a "Firmware Hub"? Beats me.

Return To Index Copyright 1994-2008 by Donald Kenney.