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authorDanilo Krummrich <dakr@kernel.org>2026-08-13 18:52:04 +0200
committerDanilo Krummrich <dakr@kernel.org>2026-08-17 01:41:36 +0200
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tree07296ae54ed6551492b0c609dc0f5463f61f89ca /Documentation/admin-guide/hw_random.rst
downloadlinux-stable-f146c7bc85a51f95c05e0f8173d484eb301ece78.tar.gz
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PCI: Add pci_irq_type() to query the allocated interrupt typegrafted
Add a helper that returns PCI_IRQ_MSIX, PCI_IRQ_MSI, or PCI_IRQ_INTX based on the interrupt type the PCI core selected after pci_alloc_irq_vectors(). Several drivers already open-code this check against pdev->msix_enabled and pdev->msi_enabled, or even open code this helper [1]. A common helper avoids the duplication and keeps drivers from accessing the bitfield directly (see also [2]). Acked-by: Bjorn Helgaas <bhelgaas@google.com> Tested-by: John Hubbard <jhubbard@nvidia.com> Link: https://elixir.bootlin.com/linux/v7.1/source/drivers/net/ethernet/aquantia/atlantic/aq_pci_func.c#L196 [1] Inspired-by: John Hubbard <jhubbard@nvidia.com> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/DKKG2QM3YJYB.Z2H2B2UXJ75N@kernel.org/ [2] Reviewed-by: Gary Guo <gary@garyguo.net> Link: https://patch.msgid.link/20260813165234.620555-5-dakr@kernel.org [ Add missing pci_irq_type() stub for CONFIG_PCI=n. ] Signed-off-by: Danilo Krummrich <dakr@kernel.org>
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+=================================
+Hardware random number generators
+=================================
+
+Introduction
+============
+
+The hw_random framework is software that makes use of a
+special hardware feature on your CPU or motherboard,
+a Random Number Generator (RNG). The software has two parts:
+a core providing the /dev/hwrng character device and its
+sysfs support, plus a hardware-specific driver that plugs
+into that core.
+
+To make the most effective use of these mechanisms, you
+should download the support software as well. Download the
+latest version of the "rng-tools" package from:
+
+ https://github.com/nhorman/rng-tools
+
+Those tools use /dev/hwrng to fill the kernel entropy pool,
+which is used internally and exported by the /dev/urandom and
+/dev/random special files.
+
+Theory of operation
+===================
+
+CHARACTER DEVICE. Using the standard open()
+and read() system calls, you can read random data from
+the hardware RNG device. This data is NOT CHECKED by any
+fitness tests, and could potentially be bogus (if the
+hardware is faulty or has been tampered with). Data is only
+output if the hardware "has-data" flag is set, but nevertheless
+a security-conscious person would run fitness tests on the
+data before assuming it is truly random.
+
+The rng-tools package uses such tests in "rngd", and lets you
+run them by hand with a "rngtest" utility.
+
+/dev/hwrng is char device major 10, minor 183.
+
+CLASS DEVICE. There is a /sys/class/misc/hw_random node with
+two unique attributes, "rng_available" and "rng_current". The
+"rng_available" attribute lists the hardware-specific drivers
+available, while "rng_current" lists the one which is currently
+connected to /dev/hwrng. If your system has more than one
+RNG available, you may change the one used by writing a name from
+the list in "rng_available" into "rng_current".
+
+==========================================================================
+
+
+Hardware driver for Intel/AMD/VIA Random Number Generators (RNG)
+ - Copyright 2000,2001 Jeff Garzik <jgarzik@pobox.com>
+ - Copyright 2000,2001 Philipp Rumpf <prumpf@mandrakesoft.com>
+
+
+About the Intel RNG hardware, from the firmware hub datasheet
+=============================================================
+
+The Firmware Hub integrates a Random Number Generator (RNG)
+using thermal noise generated from inherently random quantum
+mechanical properties of silicon. When not generating new random
+bits the RNG circuitry will enter a low power state. Intel will
+provide a binary software driver to give third party software
+access to our RNG for use as a security feature. At this time,
+the RNG is only to be used with a system in an OS-present state.
+
+Intel RNG Driver notes
+======================
+
+FIXME: support poll(2)
+
+.. note::
+
+ request_mem_region was removed, for three reasons:
+
+ 1) Only one RNG is supported by this driver;
+ 2) The location used by the RNG is a fixed location in
+ MMIO-addressable memory;
+ 3) users with properly working BIOS e820 handling will always
+ have the region in which the RNG is located reserved, so
+ request_mem_region calls always fail for proper setups.
+ However, for people who use mem=XX, BIOS e820 information is
+ **not** in /proc/iomem, and request_mem_region(RNG_ADDR) can
+ succeed.
+
+Driver details
+==============
+
+Based on:
+ Intel 82802AB/82802AC Firmware Hub (FWH) Datasheet
+ May 1999 Order Number: 290658-002 R
+
+Intel 82802 Firmware Hub:
+ Random Number Generator
+ Programmer's Reference Manual
+ December 1999 Order Number: 298029-001 R
+
+Intel 82802 Firmware HUB Random Number Generator Driver
+ Copyright (c) 2000 Matt Sottek <msottek@quiknet.com>
+
+Special thanks to Matt Sottek. I did the "guts", he
+did the "brains" and all the testing.