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From: David O'Brien <obrien@FreeBSD.org>
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Cc: Arthur Mesh <arthurmesh@gmail.com>, freebsd-security@freebsd.org,
	freebsd-rc@freebsd.org, Doug Barton <dougb@freebsd.org>
Subject: Re: svn commit: r239569 - head/etc/rc.d
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On Thu, Sep 06, 2012 at 11:01:57PM +0100, RW wrote:
> On Thu, 6 Sep 2012 10:42:47 -0700 David O'Brien wrote:
> > On Wed, Sep 05, 2012 at 08:07:54AM +1000, Peter Jeremy wrote:
> > > >What if, instead of replacing /entropy, we add an additional file
> > > >in /var/db/entropy at boot time that is numerically 1 higher than
> > > >$entropy_save_num ?
> > > That sounds like a reasonable idea.
> > 
> > I don't see what that adds or fixes.  It does not correct the
> > possible reuse of seed material.  
> 
> Reusing a secure entropy file is only a problem if the complete history
> of yarrow, from boot until some significant output, is exactly the same
> as on a previous boot.

I feel this is discussed in the yarrow and Fortuna papers.
Please provide specific section reference backing your position for me
to read.

Why are we trying to invent a new shiny way to address an issue discussed
by yarrow's author?

What is your specific argument against deleting the consumed seed file?

Do you feel the 4k bytes of /entropy is too little?
 
-- 
-- David  (obrien@FreeBSD.org)