diff --git a/specs/beacon-chain.md b/specs/beacon-chain.md index 6d4b8e47c..379e32b11 100644 --- a/specs/beacon-chain.md +++ b/specs/beacon-chain.md @@ -325,36 +325,47 @@ def shuffle(values: List[Any], """ values_count = len(values) - # entropy is consumed in 3 byte chunks - # sample_max is defined to remove the modulo bias from this entropy source - sample_max = 2 ** 24 - assert values_count <= sample_max + # Entropy is consumed from the seed in 3-byte (24 bit) chunks. + rand_bytes = 3 + # The highest possible result of the RNG. + rand_max = 2 ** (rand_bytes * 8) - 1 + + # The range of the RNG places an upper-bound on the size of the list that + # may be shuffled. It is a logic error to supply an oversized list. + assert values_count < rand_max output = [x for x in values] source = seed index = 0 - while index < values_count: - # Re-hash the source + while index < values_count - 1: + # Re-hash the `source` to obtain a new pattern of bytes. source = hash(source) - for position in range(0, 30, 3): # gets indices 3 bytes at a time - # Select a 3-byte sampled int - sample_from_source = int.from_bytes(source[position:position + 3], 'big') - # `remaining` is the size of remaining indices of this round + # Iterate through the `source` bytes in 3-byte chunks. + for position in range(0, 32 - (32 % rand_bytes), rand_bytes): + # Determine the number of indices remaining in `values` and exit + # once the last index is reached. remaining = values_count - index if remaining == 1: break - # Set a random maximum bound of sample_from_source - sample_max = sample_max - sample_max % remaining + # Read 3-bytes of `source` as a 24-bit big-endian integer. + sample_from_source = int.from_bytes( + source[position:position + rand_bytes], 'big' + ) - # Select `replacement_position` with the given `sample_from_source` and `remaining` + # Sample values greater than or equal to `sample_max` will cause + # modulo bias when mapped into the `remaining` range. + sample_max = rand_max - rand_max % remaining + + # Perform a swap if the consumed entropy will not cause modulo bias. if sample_from_source < sample_max: - # Use random number to get `replacement_position`, where it's not `index` + # Select a replacement index for the current index. replacement_position = (sample_from_source % remaining) + index - # Swap the index-th and replacement_position-th elements + # Swap the current index with the replacement index. output[index], output[replacement_position] = output[replacement_position], output[index] index += 1 else: + # The sample causes modulo bias. A new sample should be read. pass return output