Re: [PATCH 00/11] random: code cleanups

From: Greg Price
Date: Wed Nov 13 2013 - 01:29:10 EST


On Wed, Nov 13, 2013 at 01:08:07AM -0500, Theodore Ts'o wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 12, 2013 at 11:23:03PM -0500, Greg Price wrote:
> > That's a good idea. I've worried about the same thing, but hadn't
> > thought of that solution.
>
> I think the key is that we set a default of requiring 128 bits, or 5
> minutes, with boot-line options to change the defaults. BTW, with the
> changes that are scheduled for 3.13, this shouldn't be a problem on
> most desktops. From my T430s laptop: [...]
>
> So even without adding device attach times (which is on the todo list)
> the /dev/urandom pool is getting an estimated 128 bits of entropy
> almost two seconds *before* the root file system is remouted
> read/write.

Great!


> This is why I've been working improving the random driver's efficiency
> in getting the urandom pool as soon as possible, as higher priority
> than adding blocking-on-boot for /dev/urandom.

Makes sense. Blocking on boot is only sustainable anyway if it rarely
lasts past early boot.

Greg
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