Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Sun, 16 Apr 2017 13:45:52 +0100
From:      Mark R V Murray <markm@FreeBSD.org>
To:        rgrimes@freebsd.org
Cc:        src-committers <src-committers@freebsd.org>, svn-src-all@freebsd.org, svn-src-head@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: svn commit: r317015 - in head/sys: boot/forth conf crypto/chacha20 dev/random libkern sys
Message-ID:  <A5FC036D-7351-47D7-9E6A-93C5E330C3B8@FreeBSD.org>
In-Reply-To: <201704161230.v3GCUujl016578@pdx.rh.CN85.dnsmgr.net>
References:  <201704161230.v3GCUujl016578@pdx.rh.CN85.dnsmgr.net>

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help

> On 16 Apr 2017, at 13:30, Rodney W. Grimes =
<freebsd@pdx.rh.CN85.dnsmgr.net> wrote:
>=20
>> The RC4 algorithm is standard. Making the alogorithm pluggable means =
more
>> code, more testing and more time (time which I am rather short of).
>=20
> I would rather see a proper implementation later, than a poor design
> decision today.

I would love to see a perfect solution too. As I don't have the time for =
it,
I took the time to get a working solution reviewed and pretty heavily =
tested.
Reviewed by SO@, that is.

>>> Also you can always compile in a module, you can not compile out
>>> a 'standard' file.
>>>=20
>>> For now could you just add
>>> 	options chacha #Required by arc4random, do not remove
>>> to your kernel and move on?  For me this would be an acceptable
>>> developement, even releasable, way to proceed while the more
>>> complex issue of how to make the kernel RNG use plagable lkm
>>> lower layers.
>>=20
>> It would have to be unconditionally added to *all* kernels. Could be
>> done, I guess.
>=20
> We dont have that many in base kernel configs do we?

No. But what about folks' own configs that break all-of-a-sudden? I've
been pretty angry n a few occasions when I'm trying to fix my own =
problems
and I had to waste time sorting out tangential, avoidable problems.

What's the difference between making this 'standard' in sys/files/conf
and adding a compulsory change to ALL kernel files (apart from the fact
that we miss the users' kernel configs)? We can even keep the
module stubs in the code. Later, when/if arc4random(9) becomes a =
loadable
module (I'd *LOVE* to see how we get that right without compromising
the RNG early start), we can make it optional. That is a one line change
to sys/conf/files.

>> RC4 has been standard for many years.
> Probably another rapid mode of design rather than a thoughful mode, we
> have a chance to correct this here, and imho, should.

Fix it, sure. What's wrong with doing that as a next step? Why does this
change need to be held to ransom?

>> Up until now, arc4random worked with unconditional RC4.
>=20
> And your wanting to just replace unconditional RC4 for unconditional =
chacha?
> Or actuall, aleady did?

Correct. Both counts. It was up on Phabricator for weeks, BTW.

M
--=20
Mark R V Murray




Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?A5FC036D-7351-47D7-9E6A-93C5E330C3B8>