[Patch] Enabling entropy gathering with Tool Help on Windows 2000

[Werner Koch]

 || On Tue, 26 Jun 2001 20:32:37 +0300
 || "Sami Tolvanen" <sami at tolvanen.com> wrote: 

 st> GnuPG uses the Tool Help library for gathering entropy only when
 st> running on Windows 9x. However, this API is also available on Windows
 st> NT 5.0 and later. The following patch (against 1.0.6)

Are you sure that you are running it from a normal user account?

toolhelp is designed to grab variable stuff from all other the memory
which can be done under W95.  NT is kinda real OS and protects access
to resources for unauthorized users; using toolhelp here does not get
you the same kind of stuff as under W95 - if it would, you have story
for Bugtraq.

 st> I am not sure how much this helps, but I suppose collecting more
 st> entropy cannot hurt.

That's right but it adds code complexity and a performance penalty
with a questionable result.

Ciao,

  Werner

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Werner Koch        Omnis enim res, quae dando non deficit, dum habetur
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