Messages in this thread |  | | Date | Tue, 21 May 96 21:44 BST | From | Jamie Lokier <> | Subject | Re: CONFIG_RANDOM (compromise?) |
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I have a suggestion which might make everyone reasonably happy. How about:
1. Make that part of random.o which is /dev/random and /dev/urandom into a loadable module (demand loaded using kerneld, of course).
2. Collect entropy into the pool at all times, even when the module isn't loaded. This code is really quite small, as is the entropy pool itself, so this shouldn't bother anyone too much.
It might be worth not actually mixing, or estimating the amount of entropy contributed, until the module is loaded. This would make the code smaller (and presumably a little faster) in order to pacify those who care. It would make the pool larger for the same entropy though, so may not be worthwhile.
3. Make the use of randomness for TCP sequence numbers some kind of firewall option. When enabled, it requires the module to be loaded. Those who care about their connection to the Internet, especially routers, should be aware of such things.
4. BOOTP should use randomness only when it is available. This means only if it is compiled in, or if BOOTP becomes a module loaded with initrd, when the random.o module is loaded.
This is the best of both worlds: no 16k of code most of the time, but /dev/random and /dev/urandom are available whenever they are required, and there is always some entropy available when an application wants it.
Enjoy, -- Jamie Lokier
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