From: Theodore Ts'o <tytso@mit.edu>
To: Kees Cook <keescook@chromium.org>
Cc: Linux Kernel Developers List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>,
ewust@umich.edu, zakir@umich.edu, nadiah@cs.ucsd.edu,
jhalderm@umich.edu, stable@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] random: only use gathered bytes from arch_get_random_long
Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2012 14:23:16 -0400 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <20120707182316.GA3681@thunk.org> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20120707171122.GD28340@outflux.net>
On Sat, Jul 07, 2012 at 10:11:22AM -0700, Kees Cook wrote:
> While very unlikely, it is possible for arch_get_random_long() to fail
> in the middle of the loop in xfer_secondary_pool(), which would mean
> that the loop could stop with only part of u.hwrand populated, leading
> to mix_pool_bytes() injecting uninitialized or already injected bytes
> instead of fresh bytes. This changes the mix_pool_bytes() call to only
> inject the successfully gathered bytes.
I don't believe there is a major problem with injecting uninitialized
or even known bytes into the pool; worst case we're wastiing a tiny
amount of CPU in this unlikely case (versus the CPU costs of doing the
multiplication each time). Not that I think really matters one way or
the other...
Is there a reason why you're particularly concerned about what might
happen in the case where arch_get_random_long() fails mid-loop (which
can happen if RDRAND returns an error for whatever reason, granted)?
Regards,
- Ted
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2012-07-07 18:23 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 20+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
[not found] <1341614704-24965-1-git-send-email-tytso@mit.edu>
2012-07-06 22:44 ` [PATCH 02/12] random: make 'add_interrupt_randomness()' do something sane Theodore Ts'o
2012-07-08 2:01 ` Ben Hutchings
2012-07-06 22:44 ` [PATCH 03/12] random: use lockless techniques in the interrupt path Theodore Ts'o
2012-07-06 22:44 ` [PATCH 04/12] random: create add_device_randomness() interface Theodore Ts'o
2012-07-06 22:44 ` [PATCH 05/12] usb: feed USB device information to the /dev/random driver Theodore Ts'o
2012-07-06 23:02 ` Jonathan Nieder
2012-07-06 23:18 ` Greg KH
2012-07-06 23:26 ` Theodore Ts'o
2012-07-07 1:08 ` Jonathan Nieder
2012-07-06 22:44 ` [PATCH 06/12] net: feed /dev/random with the MAC address when registering a device Theodore Ts'o
2012-07-06 22:44 ` [PATCH 07/12] random: use the arch-specific rng in xfer_secondary_pool Theodore Ts'o
2012-07-07 17:11 ` [PATCH] random: only use gathered bytes from arch_get_random_long Kees Cook
2012-07-07 18:23 ` Theodore Ts'o [this message]
2012-07-07 23:20 ` Kees Cook
2012-07-08 1:06 ` [PATCH 07/12] random: use the arch-specific rng in xfer_secondary_pool Ben Hutchings
2012-07-08 1:41 ` Theodore Ts'o
2012-07-08 2:06 ` Ben Hutchings
2012-07-06 22:45 ` [PATCH 08/12] random: add new get_random_bytes_arch() function Theodore Ts'o
2012-07-06 22:45 ` [PATCH 11/12] rtc: wm831x: Feed the write counter into device_add_randomness() Theodore Ts'o
2012-07-06 22:45 ` [PATCH 12/12] mfd: wm831x: Feed the device UUID " Theodore Ts'o
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