Intel 810 Random Number Generator

[Pavel Machek]

hi!

> > > Is it feasible to offer a compile-time option which simply replaces
> > > /dev/random?
> > 
> > Methinks that would be an error. You'd be trusting the RNG too much.
> > Use it as an input to /dev/random by all means, but not as a
> > replacement.
> 
> Either you trust RNG or you don't.  There is no middle ground.

I just trust hardware RNG to be more random then keypresses. Yes there
is middle ground.

> If you do not trust RNG, then using it as a /dev/random entropy source
> is pointless.  Why introduce theoretically non-random entropy to the
> /dev/random pool?

We already include keypresses in /dev/random pool. They are not
random, are they? Network packet timing is also far from random, is
it? But both are still valuable sources of data.


								Pavel
-- 
The best software in life is free (not shareware)!		Pavel
GCM d? s-: !g p?:+ au- a--@ w+ v- C++@ UL+++ L++ N++ E++ W--- M- Y- R+

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