batch mode lack of randomness FreeBSD

[Michael W. Lucas]

On Tue, Mar 21, 2006 at 08:45:47AM -0500, Henry Hertz Hobbit wrote:
> Stef Caunter <stef at caunter.ca> wrote:
> >Is this just the way it is on FreeBSD (4.11-RELEASE)?  There is
> >plenty of randomness in /dev/urandom, and none in /dev/random...

Definitely ask on freebsd-security at freebsd.org.

> Can you ask your admin to add the Entropy Gathering Daemon that is
> written in PERL?

I believe you can install this and run it as a regular user, as well,
but I might be wrong.

> I can't speak as to the effectiveness or lack thereof of your method.
> I am tempted to say that it will probably work, but I may be wrong.
> The main point I worry about is when you generate your keys, not when
> encrypting stuff.  Lucas, who is writing a book on encryption using both
> GnuPG and new style PGP uses FreeBSD and I believe he uses the EGD:
> 
> http://www.blackhelicopters.org/~mwlucas/reviewers.html
> 

Not on FreeBSD, but I've never had to generate large numbers of keys.


> I have no idea how you can get to him because he has finally given
> up on email and your message may be considered to be trash.

I pay more attention to mailing lists than messages sent to me.  Email
is no longer a useful personal communications medium for me.  :-(

Good luck!

==ml

-- 
Michael W. Lucas	mwlucas at FreeBSD.org, mwlucas at BlackHelicopters.org
		http://www.BlackHelicopters.org/~mwlucas/

"The cloak of anonymity protects me from the nuisance of caring." -Non Sequitur