Re: [PATCH] let Net Devices feed Entropy, updated (1/2)

[Robert Love <rml@tech9.net>]

On 20 Aug 2001 12:34:48 +0200, Johan Adolfsson wrote:
> And I think you are wrong, this patch is needed.
> Keep up the good work Robert!

I will -- thank you for the words. :)

> Where would you get the single seed from in an embedded head
> less system if you don't have a hardware random generator,
> no disk and don't seed it from the network interrupts?

exactly.  this thread has gone off on a tangent arguing the very merits
of /dev/random itself.  obviously if you dislike the kernel's entropy
gatherer, this patch won't sit well either.

the proper argument is, assuming that /dev/random is A Good Thing, is
this patch useful?  since its configurable, its not forcing any policy.
since it can be argued pretty strongly that more entropy is needed on a
headless and/or diskless, I think some people need it.  personally, it
boosts my self-esteem to have another source of entropy (my 3c905).  if
you are worried of the threats net devices have to your entropy, by all
means -- dont enable the config setting.

> I think the patch makes sense - let people have the config option.

hopefully we can get the patch merged, if for nothing else for 2.5.

-- 
Robert M. Love
rml at ufl.edu
rml at tech9.net