Re: [PATCH] (0/4) Entropy accounting fixes

[Bernd Eckenfels]

On Sun, Aug 18, 2002 at 11:48:58AM +0200, Ralf Baechle wrote:
> On Sun, Aug 18, 2002 at 09:31:41AM +0200, Bernd Eckenfels wrote:
> 
> > dean gaudet <[e-mail]> wrote:
> > > many southbridges come with audio these days ... isn't it possible to get
> > > randomness off the adc even without anything connected to it?
> > 
> > they also come with RNGs.
> 
> I know of one soundcard RND that is simply implemented as a small
> mask programmed ROM full of random numbers.  That's good enough for
> audio purposes but doesn't even qualify for /dev/urandom's use ...

I am taking about southbridges with random sources, not about soundchips :)

They can be used to contribute some bits to the entropy pool. I dont think
they are the only source one should trust. But the specs say that they are
no PNRG, and I havent heared about too disasterous results from statistical
tests. So they are better than ethernet drivers, anyway.

Greetings
Bernd
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