Re: [PATCH v4 1/2] powerpc/32: add stack protector support

From: Segher Boessenkool
Date: Fri Sep 28 2018 - 12:27:18 EST


On Fri, Sep 28, 2018 at 10:56:07PM +1000, Michael Ellerman wrote:
> The problem of low entropy at boot on systems without a good hardware
> source is sort of unsolvable.
>
> As you say it's up to the core kernel/random code, we shouldn't be
> trying to do anything tricky in the arch code.
>
> You don't want your system to take 3 hours to boot because it's waiting
> for entropy for the stack canary.
>
> If we can update the canary later once the entropy pool is setup that
> would be ideal.

Yup, I agree with all that.

But we should *also* not say "oh, there may be cases where we cannot
do the right thing, so just do not even try, ever, anywhere".


Segher