Canada's 'Random' Immigration Lottery Uses Excel, Which Isn't Actually Random(gizmodo.com)
gizmodo.com
Canada's 'Random' Immigration Lottery Uses Excel, Which Isn't Actually Random
https://gizmodo.com/canadas-random-immigration-lottery-uses-microsoft-excel-1826711895
8 comments
This non-story is a dupe: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17270754
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17282156
Umm. Yeah. No.
For cryptography purposes, yeah, not random enough. But to pick a name out of a list of names that is probably pretty randomly loaded into excel, I'd say yes, this is random enough to be fair.
For cryptography purposes, yeah, not random enough. But to pick a name out of a list of names that is probably pretty randomly loaded into excel, I'd say yes, this is random enough to be fair.
The problem is not the RNG here. Problem is the trust to the guy in front of Excel, and this process is not verifiable.
> this process is not verifiable
Probably could be, along the lines of game-theory cake-sharing: "I cut, you choose." Say, one official supplies N names, another supplies N random numbers.
Probably could be, along the lines of game-theory cake-sharing: "I cut, you choose." Say, one official supplies N names, another supplies N random numbers.
Canada's not doing "I cut, you choose."
It's doing "I cut, he chooses, you don't get to eat."
It's doing "I cut, he chooses, you don't get to eat."
That was my 1st thought... Yeah ok, so the random function is not statistically good...
How exploitable it is? What is the easiest vector of attack against the lottery?
If the poor rnd was the biggest flaw the system would probably be really good.
I don't know but peculiar choice of perspective seems baffling and undermines the credibility of source imho.
Also, the process might be random if the original input was, so the whole premise of the article might be moot. I find the style quite tabloid-like.
How exploitable it is? What is the easiest vector of attack against the lottery?
If the poor rnd was the biggest flaw the system would probably be really good.
I don't know but peculiar choice of perspective seems baffling and undermines the credibility of source imho.
Also, the process might be random if the original input was, so the whole premise of the article might be moot. I find the style quite tabloid-like.
Original article: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-anything-woul...
[deleted]