Commit 95684fbd authored by Jeff Garzik's avatar Jeff Garzik

[hw_random] update documentation to reflect reality

parent 975a605c
Hardware driver for Intel i810 Random Number Generator (RNG) Hardware driver for Intel/AMD/VIA Random Number Generators (RNG)
Copyright 2000,2001 Jeff Garzik <jgarzik@pobox.com> Copyright 2000,2001 Jeff Garzik <jgarzik@pobox.com>
Copyright 2000,2001 Philipp Rumpf <prumpf@mandrakesoft.com> Copyright 2000,2001 Philipp Rumpf <prumpf@mandrakesoft.com>
Introduction: Introduction:
The i810_rng device driver is software that makes use of a The hw_random device driver is software that makes use of a
special hardware feature on the Intel i8xx-based chipsets, special hardware feature on your CPU or motherboard,
a Random Number Generator (RNG). a Random Number Generator (RNG).
In order to make effective use of this device driver, you In order to make effective use of this device driver, you
should download the support software as well. Download the should download the support software as well. Download the
latest version of the "intel-rng-tools" package from the latest version of the "rng-tools" package from the
i810_rng driver's official Web site: hw_random driver's official Web site:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/gkernel/ http://sourceforge.net/projects/gkernel/
...@@ -29,14 +29,14 @@ Theory of operation: ...@@ -29,14 +29,14 @@ Theory of operation:
Character driver. Using the standard open() Character driver. Using the standard open()
and read() system calls, you can read random data from and read() system calls, you can read random data from
the i810 RNG device. This data is NOT CHECKED by any the hardware RNG device. This data is NOT CHECKED by any
fitness tests, and could potentially be bogus (if the fitness tests, and could potentially be bogus (if the
hardware is faulty or has been tampered with). Data is only hardware is faulty or has been tampered with). Data is only
output if the hardware "has-data" flag is set, but nevertheless output if the hardware "has-data" flag is set, but nevertheless
a security-conscious person would run fitness tests on the a security-conscious person would run fitness tests on the
data before assuming it is truly random. data before assuming it is truly random.
/dev/intel_rng is char device major 10, minor 183. /dev/hwrandom is char device major 10, minor 183.
Driver notes: Driver notes:
...@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ Driver details: ...@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ Driver details:
Change history: Change history:
Version 1.0.0:
* Merge Intel, AMD, VIA RNG drivers into one.
Further changelog in BitKeeper.
Version 0.9.8: Version 0.9.8:
* Support other i8xx chipsets by adding 82801E detection * Support other i8xx chipsets by adding 82801E detection
* 82801DB detection is the same as for 82801CA. * 82801DB detection is the same as for 82801CA.
......
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