Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2000 21:57:25 +0200 From: Mark Murray <mark@grondar.za> To: "Andrey A. Chernov" <ache@FreeBSD.ORG> Cc: current@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: rc.shutdown hook is not a solution (was Re: randomdev entropy gathering is really weak) Message-ID: <200007171957.VAA01275@grimreaper.grondar.za> In-Reply-To: <20000717110255.A33448@freebsd.org> ; from "Andrey A. Chernov" <ache@FreeBSD.ORG> "Mon, 17 Jul 2000 11:02:55 MST." References: <20000717110255.A33448@freebsd.org>
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> The reason is not security only, the reason is buggy RNG. Imagine diskless > keyboard-less and mouse-less slide-show machine with no rc.shutdown hooks > since it comes with power up and goes down with power down. This machine > will always start with same picture because RNG have not enough enthropy. In > worst case we should relay only on processor registers always present, i.e. > timers and so on. rc.shutdown hook not solve problem completely. Actually, it is only a faulty reseed mechanism. For the purposes of your argument above, the time-of-day would be an acceptable reseed to random(9). For cryptographic randomness, more noise is needed. M -- Mark Murray Join the anti-SPAM movement: http://www.cauce.org To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-current" in the body of the message
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