Re: [PATCH 2/3] random: Use arch_get_random_seed*() at init time and once a second

From: Ingo Molnar
Date: Wed Mar 05 2014 - 03:44:33 EST



* H. Peter Anvin <hpa@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> From: "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Use arch_get_random_seed*() in two places in the Linux random
> driver (drivers/char/random.c):
>
> 1. During entropy pool initialization, use RDSEED in favor of RDRAND,
> with a fallback to the latter. Entropy exhaustion is unlikely to
> happen there on physical hardware as the machine is single-threaded
> at that point, but could happen in a virtual machine. In that
> case, the fallback to RDRAND will still provide more than adequate
> entropy pool initialization.
>
> 2. Once a second, issue RDSEED and, if successful, feed it to the
> entropy pool. To ensure an extra layer of security, only credit
> half the entropy just in case.
>
> Suggested-by: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Signed-off-by: H. Peter Anvin <hpa@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> drivers/char/random.c | 24 ++++++++++++++++++++----
> 1 file changed, 20 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

Reviewed-by: Ingo Molnar <mingo@xxxxxxxxxx>

Thanks,

Ingo
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