linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH, RFC] random: introduce getrandom(2) system call

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Message-Id: <201407171848.s6HImBb4027900@glazunov.sibelius.xs4all.nl>
Date:	Thu, 17 Jul 2014 20:48:11 +0200 (CEST)
From:	Mark Kettenis <mark.kettenis@...all.nl>
To:	"Theodore Ts'o" <tytso@....edu>
CC:	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, linux-crypto@...r.kernel.org,
	beck@...nbsd.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH, RFC] random: introduce getrandom(2) system call

On Thu, Jul 17, 2014, Theodore Ts'o wrote:
> 
> The getrandom(2) system call is a superset of getentropy(2).  When we
> add the support for this into glibc, it won't be terribly difficult
> nor annoying to drop the following in alongside the standard support
> needed for any new system call:
> 
> int getentropy(void *buf, size_t buflen)
> {
> 	int	ret;
> 
> 	ret = getentropy(buf, buflen, 0);
> 	return (ret > 0) ? 0 : ret;
> }

I'm sure you meant to use getrandom() there ;)

Since for LibreSSL we'd want a getentropy() that cannot fail the
getrandom() call should use GRND_BLOCK flag.  Actually it makes sense
(to me) to make blocking the default behaviour and have a
BRND_NONBLOCK flag.  Much in the same way as you need to specify
O_NONBLOCK if you want non-blocking behaviour for files.
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