linux-kernel - Re: Why does reading from /dev/urandom deplete entropy so much?

lists.openwall.net		lists / announce owl-users owl-dev john-users john-dev passwdqc-users yescrypt popa3d-users / oss-security kernel-hardening musl sabotage tlsify passwords / crypt-dev xvendor / Bugtraq Full-Disclosure linux-kernel linux-netdev linux-ext4 linux-hardening linux-cve-announce PHC
Open Source and information security mailing list archives

Hash Suite: Windows password security audit tool. GUI, reports in PDF.

[<prev] [next>] [<thread-prev] [thread-next>] [day] [month] [year] [list]

Message-ID: <20071209124200.GA31147@torres.zugschlus.de>
Date:	Sun, 9 Dec 2007 13:42:00 +0100
From:	Marc Haber <mh+linux-kernel@...schlus.de>
To:	Matt Mackall <mpm@...enic.com>
Cc:	Eric Dumazet <dada1@...mosbay.com>,
	Alan Cox <alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>,
	Adrian Bunk <bunk@...nel.org>, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	"David S. Miller" <davem@...emloft.net>
Subject: Re: Why does reading from /dev/urandom deplete entropy so much?

On Wed, Dec 05, 2007 at 03:26:47PM -0600, Matt Mackall wrote:
> The distinction between /dev/random and /dev/urandom boils down to one
> word: paranoia. If you are not paranoid enough to mistrust your
> network, then /dev/random IS NOT FOR YOU. Use /dev/urandom.

But currently, people who use /dev/urandom to obtain low-quality
entropy do a DoS for the paranoid people.

Greetings
Marc

-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marc Haber         | "I don't trust Computers. They | Mailadresse im Header
Mannheim, Germany  |  lose things."    Winona Ryder | Fon: *49 621 72739834
Nordisch by Nature |  How to make an American Quilt | Fax: *49 3221 2323190
--
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@...r.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/