Why computers aren't truly random and how chaos makes them secure

Computers are deterministic machines, meaning the same inputs always produce the same outputs, so they cannot generate genuinely random numbers on their own. Instead, they rely on Pseudo Random Number Generators (PRNGs), which use a seed number and a formula — a method that can be exploited if the seed and formula are known. For security-critical applications like Web3 wallet key generation and password encryption, computers turn to real-world chaotic data such as temperature readings and photon activity. This data is fed into an entropy pool within the operating system, hashed using a mathematical function, and used to produce unpredictable random numbers. The avalanche effect in hashing ensures that even a tiny change in input data produces a vastly different output, making these numbers highly resistant to prediction.