[PATCH] Re: hw_random and the missing Intel RNGs

["Randy.Dunlap" <rddunlap@osdl.org>]

(in reply to:  http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=linux-kernel&m=106816271502140&w=2)

<quoting:>

hw_random has two problems with Intel chipsets:

(1) It fails to detect when no RNG is present.
(2) Intel has stopped putting RNGs into their chipsets.

I've written a description of this problem at
http://home.comcast.net/~andrex/hardware-RNG/index.html.  Here's a summary:
[snipped]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Andrew, I think you should have supplied a patch with your
detailed email.  How's this look?

Does anyone read docs nowadays?

--
~Randy



// Linux linux-263-work
// Document Intel hardware RNG changes.

diffstat:=
 Documentation/hw_random.txt |   12 ++++++++++++
 1 files changed, 12 insertions(+)


diff -Naurp ./Documentation/hw_random.txt~intelrng ./Documentation/hw_random.txt
--- ./Documentation/hw_random.txt~intelrng	2004-02-17 19:58:40.000000000 -0800
+++ ./Documentation/hw_random.txt	2004-02-21 19:38:32.000000000 -0800
@@ -25,6 +25,18 @@ About the Intel RNG hardware, from the f
 	access to our RNG for use as a security feature. At this time,
 	the RNG is only to be used with a system in an OS-present state.
 
+Intel hardware RNG update:
+
+	hw_random has two problems with Intel chipsets:
+
+	(1) It fails to detect when no RNG is present.
+	(2) These products and tools are no longer being manufactured by Intel.
+
+	See <URL:http://home.comcast.net/~andrex/hardware-RNG/index.html>
+	for detailed information.
+	See <URL:http://www.intel.com/design/security/rng/rng.htm>
+	for related product information.
+
 Theory of operation:
 
 	Character driver.  Using the standard open()