[...] that can synchronize without publishing their states. If this could be done with strong PRNGs, you'd have something.

Here is a related article Article = "Secret Key Agreement by Public Discussion from Common Information" Author = Ueli M. Maurer Publication = IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, Vol 39, No. 3 Date = May 1993 --Abstract-- The problem of generating a shared secret key S by two parties knowing dependent random variables X and Y, respectively, but not sharing a secret key initially, is considered. An enemy who knows the random variable Z, jointly distributed with X and Y according to some probability distribution Pxyz, can also receive all messages exchanged by the two parties over a public channel. The goal of a protocol is that the enemy obtains at most a negligible amount of information about S. Upper bounds on H(S) as a function of Pxyz are presented. Lower bounds on the rate H(S)/N (as N-->infinity) are derived for the case where X = [X1, ..., Xn], Y = [Y1, ..., Yn], and Z = [Z1, ..., Zn] result from N independent executions of a random experiment generating Xi, Yi and Zi for i=1, ..., N. In particular, it is shown that such secret key agreement is possible for a scenario where all three parties receive the output of a binary symmetric source over independent binary symmetric channels, even when the enemy's channel is superior to the other two channels. The results suggest how to build cryptographic systems that are provably secure against enemies with unlimited computing power under realistic assumptions about the partial independence of the noise on the involved communications channels. --end of Abstract-- Hope you like it, Scott Collins | "Few people realize what tremendous power there | is in one of these things." -- Willy Wonka ......................|................................................ BUSINESS. voice:408.862.0540 fax:974.6094 collins@newton.apple.com Apple Computer, Inc. 1 Infinite Loop, MS 301-2C Cupertino, CA 95014 ....................................................................... PERSONAL. voice/fax:408.257.1746 1024/669687 catalyst@netcom.com