[PATCH] Re: hw_random and the missing Intel RNGs

From: Randy.Dunlap
Date: Sat Feb 21 2004 - 22:51:55 EST



(in reply to: http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=linux-kernel&m=106816271502140&w=2)

<quoting:>

hw_random has two problems with Intel chipsets:

(1) It fails to detect when no RNG is present.
(2) Intel has stopped putting RNGs into their chipsets.

I've written a description of this problem at
http://home.comcast.net/~andrex/hardware-RNG/index.html. Here's a summary:
[snipped]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Andrew, I think you should have supplied a patch with your
detailed email. How's this look?

Does anyone read docs nowadays?

--
~Randy



// Linux linux-263-work
// Document Intel hardware RNG changes.

diffstat:=
Documentation/hw_random.txt | 12 ++++++++++++
1 files changed, 12 insertions(+)


diff -Naurp ./Documentation/hw_random.txt~intelrng ./Documentation/hw_random.txt
--- ./Documentation/hw_random.txt~intelrng 2004-02-17 19:58:40.000000000 -0800
+++ ./Documentation/hw_random.txt 2004-02-21 19:38:32.000000000 -0800
@@ -25,6 +25,18 @@ About the Intel RNG hardware, from the f
access to our RNG for use as a security feature. At this time,
the RNG is only to be used with a system in an OS-present state.

+Intel hardware RNG update:
+
+ hw_random has two problems with Intel chipsets:
+
+ (1) It fails to detect when no RNG is present.
+ (2) These products and tools are no longer being manufactured by Intel.
+
+ See <URL:http://home.comcast.net/~andrex/hardware-RNG/index.html>
+ for detailed information.
+ See <URL:http://www.intel.com/design/security/rng/rng.htm>
+ for related product information.
+
Theory of operation:

Character driver. Using the standard open()
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