Re: [PATCH v2 1/1] x86/rdrand: disable RDSEED on AMD Cyan Skillfish

From: Borislav Petkov

Date: Thu Jan 15 2026 - 05:29:01 EST


On Wed, Jan 14, 2026 at 04:41:29PM -0500, Travis B wrote:
> >It is still important, though, to make sure the user sees this and does not
> use RDSEED for generating random data used in sensitive communication.
>
> With RDSEED cpuid bit disabled by the code, a user should
> use that to determine whether they should use the instruction
> or not.

You said it correctly: "should". But it doesn't stop her/him from still using
the instruction regardless of CPUID flag.

> It becomes the same as using any other CPU which
> already does not support RDSEED, which do not get
> a forced emergency system message for it.
>
> pr_emerg is intended for fatal errors where the system cannot
> operate anymore. That is way above the level of RDSEED
> being disabled. There are no other places in kernel where disabling
> support for an instruction generates an emerg level message.

Ok.

You wanna send a patch and explain the justification for the change properly
in the commit message?

Thx.

--
Regards/Gruss,
Boris.

https://people.kernel.org/tglx/notes-about-netiquette