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From: Stephen Hemminger <stephen@networkplumber.org>
To: dev@dpdk.org
Cc: Stephen Hemminger <stephen@networkplumber.org>
Subject: [PATCH 09/18] net: use secure random for random MAC address
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:21:07 -0700	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <20260915192207.3926217-10-stephen@networkplumber.org> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20260915192207.3926217-1-stephen@networkplumber.org>

rte_eth_random_addr() returned 48 bits of raw rte_rand() output on
every call. That both makes the generated address predictable and
leaks enough generator output to help recover the internal state.

Use rte_random_bytes() instead. The function cannot report an error
to its callers, so fall back to rte_rand() if the system random
generator is unavailable, which is no worse than the previous
behaviour.

Signed-off-by: Stephen Hemminger <stephen@networkplumber.org>
---
 lib/net/rte_ether.c | 13 ++++++++++---
 lib/net/rte_ether.h |  5 +++++
 2 files changed, 15 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/lib/net/rte_ether.c b/lib/net/rte_ether.c
index 6703145fc5..4b2932c00b 100644
--- a/lib/net/rte_ether.c
+++ b/lib/net/rte_ether.c
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <stdbool.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
 #include <eal_export.h>
 #include <rte_ether.h>
@@ -12,10 +13,16 @@ RTE_EXPORT_SYMBOL(rte_eth_random_addr)
 void
 rte_eth_random_addr(uint8_t *addr)
 {
-	uint64_t rand = rte_rand();
-	uint8_t *p = (uint8_t *)&rand;
+	/* Prefer the system random generator so that the address can not
+	 * be predicted from other random values. Fall back to rte_rand()
+	 * if it is unavailable, which is what was always used before.
+	 */
+	if (rte_random_bytes(addr, RTE_ETHER_ADDR_LEN) != 0) {
+		uint64_t rand = rte_rand();
+
+		memcpy(addr, &rand, RTE_ETHER_ADDR_LEN);
+	}
 
-	rte_memcpy(addr, p, RTE_ETHER_ADDR_LEN);
 	addr[0] &= (uint8_t)~RTE_ETHER_GROUP_ADDR;	/* clear multicast bit */
 	addr[0] |= RTE_ETHER_LOCAL_ADMIN_ADDR;	/* set local assignment bit */
 }
diff --git a/lib/net/rte_ether.h b/lib/net/rte_ether.h
index c9a0b536c3..b0dc227362 100644
--- a/lib/net/rte_ether.h
+++ b/lib/net/rte_ether.h
@@ -221,6 +221,11 @@ static inline int rte_is_valid_assigned_ether_addr(const struct rte_ether_addr *
 /**
  * Generate a random Ethernet address that is locally administered
  * and not multicast.
+ *
+ * The address is taken from the random source of the operating system
+ * so that it cannot be predicted from other random values. If that
+ * source is unavailable it falls back to the pseudo-random rte_rand().
+ *
  * @param addr
  *   A pointer to Ethernet address.
  */
-- 
2.53.0


  parent reply	other threads:[~2026-09-15 19:23 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 27+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2026-09-15 19:20 [PATCH 00/18] random number generator improvements Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:20 ` [PATCH 01/18] eal/windows: add getentropy shim Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 02/18] random: always use getentropy Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 03/18] eal: add 32 bit random number function Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 04/18] sched: fix data race in RED random number generation Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 05/18] eal/windows: add getrandom shim Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 06/18] eal: add function to get random bytes Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 07/18] hash: use secure random for Toeplitz hash key Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 08/18] pipeline: use secure random for IPsec salt Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` Stephen Hemminger [this message]
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 10/18] ipsec: use secure random for SAD hash seed Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 11/18] net/intel: use secure random for default RSS key Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 12/18] random: use all 64 bits of the seed Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 13/18] drivers/net: use secure random for RSS key Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 14/18] drivers/net: use common random MAC address helper Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 15/18] random: remove RDSEED fallback for initial seed Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-16  7:44   ` Bruce Richardson
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 16/18] test: allow setting random seed for tests Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 17/18] test: add random number generator tests Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-15 19:21 ` [PATCH 18/18] doc: recommend secure random for unpredictable values Stephen Hemminger
2026-09-22 12:32   ` Aaron Conole
2026-10-10  2:27 ` [PATCH v2 0/5] random: fix initial seed entropy Stephen Hemminger
2026-10-10  2:27   ` [PATCH v2 1/5] eal/windows: add getentropy shim Stephen Hemminger
2026-10-10  2:27   ` [PATCH v2 2/5] random: always use getentropy Stephen Hemminger
2026-10-10  2:27   ` [PATCH v2 3/5] random: use all 64 bits of the seed Stephen Hemminger
2026-10-10  2:27   ` [PATCH v2 4/5] random: remove RDSEED fallback for initial seed Stephen Hemminger
2026-10-10  2:27   ` [PATCH v2 5/5] test: allow setting random seed for tests Stephen Hemminger

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