from Hacker News

Random number generator updates for Linux 5.17

by zx2c4 on 1/7/22, 3:42 PM with 26 comments

• by tptacek on 1/7/22, 4:27 PM

  Also discussed here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29742977

• by zx2c4 on 1/7/22, 4:20 PM

  Commits of note in this pull:

  - https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/crng/random....

  - https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/crng/random....

  - https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/crng/random....

• by throw0101a on 1/7/22, 4:50 PM

  For comparison:

       A random device appeared in FreeBSD 2.2.  The implementation was changed
       to the Yarrow algorithm in FreeBSD 5.0.  In FreeBSD 11.0, the Fortuna al-
       gorithm was introduced as the default.  In FreeBSD 12.0, Yarrow was re-
       moved entirely.
  

  * https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=random&sektion=4

  * https://www.schneier.com/academic/fortuna/

  Also a video presentation "A Deep Dive into FreeBSD's Kernel RNG" from vBSD 2017:

  * https://papers.freebsd.org/2017/vbsdcon/gurney-a_deep_dive_i...

• by stefanpie on 1/7/22, 4:52 PM

  As a novice Linux (Ubuntu) user, I am curious as to how these new changes for rand will speed up a Linux distro overall or if there is even a way to measure this. It seems that, in addition to an overdue replacement SHA-1, the new code is a significant increase in performance. I would think that there are a lot of places where random used in the OS and this update would translate into performance improves in those other places. I'm not an expert and would love to head any thoughts on this.

• by CiPHPerCoder on 1/7/22, 4:07 PM

  I am stoked for updating all my systems to use Linux 5.17 now.

• by 1over137 on 1/7/22, 4:23 PM

  Headline seems overly generic: 5.17 of what?