Re: linux random capabilities ...
On Wednesday 31 July 2002 06:08, Adam Olsen wrote:
> Short answer: Linux mainly uses interrupt timings as an entropy
> source, from devices that are fairly unpredictable. Assuming those
> are secure, the entropy pool is protected by a SHA hash of it's state
> when something needs random bits. (afaik) a SHA hash has no know
> weaknesses, with the exception of brute force which is simply too big
> to attempt.
>
untrue, consider the attack against Netscape's ssl implementation consider:
"Ian Goldberg and David Wagner, "Randomness and the Netscape Browser",
Dr.Dobbs Journal, January 1996, p.66"
http://www.ddj.com/documents/s=965/ddj9601h/9601h.htm
> Long answer: read drivers/char/random.c from your nearest linux source
> tree.
>
> > Finally, i read here and there some work on hardware random generation
> > devices (based on radio activity readings, or diods based devices or
> > whatever), is there anyone with some experience with those ?
yeah, I dont' know much about it but an article exists on P4's with a PRNG on
them.. If anyone can provide some more feedback on this I'd love to hear them
out, I myself have not had time to read the article I'm about to link or do
any research on this whatso ever.
www.g0thead.com/papers/Cryptography/IntelRNG.pdf
www.g0thead.com/ssl_notes.txt unfinished research on ssl - I apologize on any
wrong information provided in this text as I said it's unfinished research
and all comments/corrections/flames are welcome :)
--
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Orlando Padilla
http://www.g0thead.com/xbud.asc
'A woman drove me to drink and I didn't
even have the courtesy to thank her' -wa
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