Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2000 01:20:39 +0200 From: Mark Murray <mark@grondar.za> To: Andrew Kenneth Milton <akm@mail.theinternet.com.au> Cc: freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Syscons flag to turn off random_harvest in scmouse? Message-ID: <200011262120.eAQLKfe01568@gratis.grondar.za> In-Reply-To: <20001127024056.F14398@zeus.theinternet.com.au> ; from Andrew Kenneth Milton <akm@mail.theinternet.com.au> "Mon, 27 Nov 2000 02:40:57 %2B1000." References: <20001127024056.F14398@zeus.theinternet.com.au>
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> Ok so I've been told this is related to the random module. Related, sure, but the real problem is elsewhere. > Having had a look through the code I now understand what the problem is. > > I think that for those people using /dev/sysmouse under X that > having random_harvest in scmouse.c is probably ill advised. That is a _great_ source of entropy. Please explain "ill advised". > Can we have a flag for syscons to turn this off, or do we just turn off > moused and run X with direct access to the mouse? Since it seems you > can do this, there wouldn't seem to be harm in having a flag. Why? The rest of the kernel has not had the Giant mutex properly degraded/removed/unravelled, and this is the real problem. If having the mouse randomness (very approcimately the best randomness available) removed is really what you want, then doing a private patch in your own sources is probably best. Later, when the Giant unravelling progresses, you can remove that. > I still need the random module to use ssh (and I used to have it built > into my kernel, so I could simply unload it). See above. SSH needs good randomness. it is silly to try to break that. > It seems a bit of a shame that if you want to use your sound card that > you give up X, or you give up ssh. If you are function oriented, rather than development oriented, why are you useing CURRENT? M -- Mark Murray Join the anti-SPAM movement: http://www.cauce.org To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-current" in the body of the message
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