|
@@ -1,33 +1,26 @@
|
|
- Hardware driver for Intel/AMD/VIA Random Number Generators (RNG)
|
|
|
|
- Copyright 2000,2001 Jeff Garzik <jgarzik@pobox.com>
|
|
|
|
- Copyright 2000,2001 Philipp Rumpf <prumpf@mandrakesoft.com>
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
Introduction:
|
|
Introduction:
|
|
|
|
|
|
- The hw_random device driver is software that makes use of a
|
|
|
|
|
|
+ The hw_random framework is software that makes use of a
|
|
special hardware feature on your CPU or motherboard,
|
|
special hardware feature on your CPU or motherboard,
|
|
- a Random Number Generator (RNG).
|
|
|
|
|
|
+ a Random Number Generator (RNG). The software has two parts:
|
|
|
|
+ a core providing the /dev/hw_random character device and its
|
|
|
|
+ sysfs support, plus a hardware-specific driver that plugs
|
|
|
|
+ into that core.
|
|
|
|
|
|
- In order to make effective use of this device driver, you
|
|
|
|
|
|
+ To make the most effective use of these mechanisms, you
|
|
should download the support software as well. Download the
|
|
should download the support software as well. Download the
|
|
latest version of the "rng-tools" package from the
|
|
latest version of the "rng-tools" package from the
|
|
hw_random driver's official Web site:
|
|
hw_random driver's official Web site:
|
|
|
|
|
|
http://sourceforge.net/projects/gkernel/
|
|
http://sourceforge.net/projects/gkernel/
|
|
|
|
|
|
-About the Intel RNG hardware, from the firmware hub datasheet:
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
- The Firmware Hub integrates a Random Number Generator (RNG)
|
|
|
|
- using thermal noise generated from inherently random quantum
|
|
|
|
- mechanical properties of silicon. When not generating new random
|
|
|
|
- bits the RNG circuitry will enter a low power state. Intel will
|
|
|
|
- provide a binary software driver to give third party software
|
|
|
|
- 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
+ Those tools use /dev/hw_random to fill the kernel entropy pool,
|
|
|
|
+ which is used internally and exported by the /dev/urandom and
|
|
|
|
+ /dev/random special files.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Theory of operation:
|
|
Theory of operation:
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Character driver. Using the standard open()
|
|
|
|
|
|
+ CHARACTER DEVICE. Using the standard open()
|
|
and read() system calls, you can read random data from
|
|
and read() system calls, you can read random data from
|
|
the hardware RNG device. This data is NOT CHECKED by any
|
|
the hardware RNG device. This data is NOT CHECKED by any
|
|
fitness tests, and could potentially be bogus (if the
|
|
fitness tests, and could potentially be bogus (if the
|
|
@@ -36,9 +29,37 @@ Theory of operation:
|
|
a security-conscious person would run fitness tests on the
|
|
a security-conscious person would run fitness tests on the
|
|
data before assuming it is truly random.
|
|
data before assuming it is truly random.
|
|
|
|
|
|
- /dev/hwrandom is char device major 10, minor 183.
|
|
|
|
|
|
+ The rng-tools package uses such tests in "rngd", and lets you
|
|
|
|
+ run them by hand with a "rngtest" utility.
|
|
|
|
+
|
|
|
|
+ /dev/hw_random is char device major 10, minor 183.
|
|
|
|
+
|
|
|
|
+ CLASS DEVICE. There is a /sys/class/misc/hw_random node with
|
|
|
|
+ two unique attributes, "rng_available" and "rng_current". The
|
|
|
|
+ "rng_available" attribute lists the hardware-specific drivers
|
|
|
|
+ available, while "rng_current" lists the one which is currently
|
|
|
|
+ connected to /dev/hw_random. If your system has more than one
|
|
|
|
+ RNG available, you may change the one used by writing a name from
|
|
|
|
+ the list in "rng_available" into "rng_current".
|
|
|
|
+
|
|
|
|
+==========================================================================
|
|
|
|
+
|
|
|
|
+ Hardware driver for Intel/AMD/VIA Random Number Generators (RNG)
|
|
|
|
+ Copyright 2000,2001 Jeff Garzik <jgarzik@pobox.com>
|
|
|
|
+ Copyright 2000,2001 Philipp Rumpf <prumpf@mandrakesoft.com>
|
|
|
|
+
|
|
|
|
+
|
|
|
|
+About the Intel RNG hardware, from the firmware hub datasheet:
|
|
|
|
+
|
|
|
|
+ The Firmware Hub integrates a Random Number Generator (RNG)
|
|
|
|
+ using thermal noise generated from inherently random quantum
|
|
|
|
+ mechanical properties of silicon. When not generating new random
|
|
|
|
+ bits the RNG circuitry will enter a low power state. Intel will
|
|
|
|
+ provide a binary software driver to give third party software
|
|
|
|
+ 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
-Driver notes:
|
|
|
|
|
|
+Intel RNG Driver notes:
|
|
|
|
|
|
* FIXME: support poll(2)
|
|
* FIXME: support poll(2)
|
|
|
|
|