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> This entire idea of using random IDs assumes that your computers can generate random numbers that are random and unpredictable — this isn't an easy problem, and there's a lot of research being done in the field.

Can anyone here provide some hints as to how you can verify that the randomness is actually random?

If I was to create some blackbox and I claimed it generated 100% random numbers, is it possible to disprove my claims?

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If trickery is the goal then you could for example hash a seed using a strong hash function. Output the hash bytes and feed the hash back in. You have random looking data that should pass statistical tests (dieharder et al).

This question arises with hardware RNGs - could some of them just output random looking data that the dark-powers know the seed of?

Sure, nothing is 100% random so that is not possible. At best it's difficult to predict.

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