Kernel: Use write(2) to /dev/(u)random as entropy source #24992

logkos · 2024-09-03T12:22:37Z

This feature allows userspace to supply the kernel's random event pool by using the write(2) system call on random device nodes. This functionality is widely adopted by other UNIX-like systems and allows the use of software events as an entropy source. To mitigate the potential effects of repetitive or malicious input, writing to random device nodes is restricted to the root user.

Kernel/Devices/Generic/RandomDevice.cpp

supercomputer7 · 2024-09-03T14:05:39Z

Is there an actual use case for this? I don't see any userspace program using this functionality.
Are you expecting users to run echo 'something random' > /dev/urandom?
What happens if malicious program tries to make /dev/urandom unusable by entering the same input over and over again? Or is this scenario not possible? we should always be cautious with user input to things like this device.

logkos · 2024-09-03T15:49:31Z

Linux and BSDs allow writes to /dev/(u)random to fill the entropy pool (via rng-tools or something fancy like radioactive decay and CCTV footage of lava lambs). Entropy should not be pulled down in case of repetitive input since events get hashed before being sent to RNG and other sources still can get into pool. One mitigation would be changing file perms for random devices

Kernel/Devices/Generic/RandomDevice.cpp

supercomputer7 · 2024-09-06T06:29:52Z

Linux and BSDs allow writes to /dev/(u)random to fill the entropy pool (via rng-tools or something fancy like radioactive decay and CCTV footage of lava lambs). Entropy should not be pulled down in case of repetitive input since events get hashed before being sent to RNG and other sources still can get into pool. One mitigation would be changing file perms for random devices

The fact that you add support for this in the kernel is not an issue.
I just don’t understand what program will use this - I ask this because without an example of this, this would be essentially dead code.

logkos · 2024-09-06T10:50:18Z

I just don’t understand what program will use this - I ask this because without an example of this, this would be essentially dead code.

If anyone wants to supply software generated/collected entropy or aims to port rng-tools, this feature allows that. Might be used for an userspace driver

supercomputer7 · 2024-09-09T17:02:16Z

I will probably give this another review in Thursday or Friday. Anyway, we should aim at adding some sort of userspace code to use this functionality. Maybe some port can be added for this? Or just our own code…

Userland/Utilities/init.cpp

supercomputer7 · 2024-09-13T01:25:21Z

I still have mixed feelings on the topic. On one hand, I really want to see some userspace code doing something useful with this feature. On the other hand, it's really not a big change, so maybe we should just merge it as-is and think about this later on, if you say you will work on it in the future.

I will let the maintainers decide on this :)

Userland/Utilities/init.cpp

Kernel/Devices/Generic/RandomDevice.cpp

BuggieBot · 2024-09-13T16:10:49Z

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a write syscall from userspace can now supply entropy pool. This change stands in line with other UNIX-like systems.

We restrict write access to /dev/(u)random. So only root can feed the kernel entropy pool. This is a common practice for hardening.

timschumi

+1 on the "I would like to see something use this" front.

timschumi · 2024-09-14T11:01:59Z

Userland/Utilities/init.cpp

@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ static ErrorOr<void> prepare_bare_minimum_devtmpfs_directory_structure()
    TRY(populate_device_node_with_symlink(DeviceNodeType::Character, "/dev/mem"sv, 0600, 1, 1));
    TRY(populate_device_node_with_symlink(DeviceNodeType::Character, "/dev/null"sv, 0666, 1, 3));
    TRY(populate_device_node_with_symlink(DeviceNodeType::Character, "/dev/full"sv, 0666, 1, 7));
-    TRY(populate_device_node_with_symlink(DeviceNodeType::Character, "/dev/random"sv, 0666, 1, 8));
+    TRY(populate_device_node_with_symlink(DeviceNodeType::Character, "/dev/random"sv, 0644, 1, 8));


Is there even such a thing as bad entropy? As far as I know/heard, you can't actually hurt the randomness of the RNG by mixing in bad data as long as it is mixed in properly.

RHEL and FreeBSD restrict writes to /dev/random for the sake of hardening so we might adopt this as well

(Or maybe no, there is much more to harvest in user apps)

stale · 2024-11-05T03:30:18Z

This pull request has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed in 7 days if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions!

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logkos changed the title ~~Kernel: use input to /dev/random as entropy source~~ Kernel: use write(2) to /dev/(u)random as entropy source Sep 13, 2024

logkos changed the title ~~Kernel: use write(2) to /dev/(u)random as entropy source~~ Kernel: Use write(2) to /dev/(u)random as entropy source Sep 13, 2024

logkos force-pushed the devs branch 2 times, most recently from b538524 to b49c330 Compare September 13, 2024 16:10

logkos force-pushed the devs branch from b49c330 to b028564 Compare September 13, 2024 17:13

logkos added 2 commits September 14, 2024 12:06

Kernel: Implement write(2) to /dev/random as an entropy source

247053a

a write syscall from userspace can now supply entropy pool. This change stands in line with other UNIX-like systems.

Userland/init: Change file permissions for /dev/(u)random device node

6eb7c25

We restrict write access to /dev/(u)random. So only root can feed the kernel entropy pool. This is a common practice for hardening.

logkos force-pushed the devs branch from b028564 to 6eb7c25 Compare September 14, 2024 09:07

timschumi reviewed Sep 14, 2024

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logkos closed this Nov 16, 2024

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Kernel: Use write(2) to /dev/(u)random as entropy source #24992

Kernel: Use write(2) to /dev/(u)random as entropy source #24992

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Kernel: Use write(2) to /dev/(u)random as entropy source #24992

Kernel: Use write(2) to /dev/(u)random as entropy source #24992

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