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| author | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> | 2026-08-19 10:09:22 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> | 2026-08-19 10:09:22 -0700 |
| commit | f4cdf7ca9a1fdcca413157df19753f388a5a224e (patch) | |
| tree | 60a31895b2446cd7fa27514e8c2843534a0de0da /Documentation/admin-guide/hw_random.rst | |
| download | linux-stable-f4cdf7ca9a1fdcca413157df19753f388a5a224e.tar.gz linux-stable-f4cdf7ca9a1fdcca413157df19753f388a5a224e.zip | |
Merge tag 'media/v7.3-1' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/mchehab/linux-mediagrafted
Pull media updates from Mauro Carvalho Chehab:
- v4l2-core: added ISP statistics support and per-block validation
- v4l2-core: Allow unknown HDR10 white point and luminance
- New camera sensors: Sony IMX678 and IMX471m, Himax HM1092 IR sensor
- New codec: Milos: VPU v2.0 codec support
- isp driver: gained support for Dreamchip RPPX1 ISP framework
- vsp1 driver: gained support for RZ/T2H and RZ/N2H
- Novalake driver: gained CVS support for new NVL hardware
- dvb-core: fix feed leak on failed DMX_ADD_PID
- several driver fixes, cleanups and minor improvements
* tag 'media/v7.3-1' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/mchehab/linux-media: (308 commits)
media: ipu-bridge: check all DMI entries when overriding sensor rotation
media: v4l2-async: avoid deleting unlinked ASC entry on link error
media: rzg2l-cru: Align bytesperline to hardware DMA stride requirement
media: intel/ipu6: fix async notifier cleanup leak on parse error
media: staging/ipu7: fix async notifier UAF on probe error path
media: amd: isp4: fix self-deadlock in isp4sd_pwron_and_init() error path
media: amd: isp4: release partial allocations in isp4if_alloc_fw_gpumem()
media: rcar-isp: Fix VSPX reference leaks
media: rcar-isp: Release ISPCORE resources
media: i2c: imx415: Release runtime PM reference on VBLANK error
media: i2c: imx415: Return test pattern write errors
media: renesas: vsp1: Declare index variables in for loop statement
media: renesas: vsp1: Make reset control optional to support platforms without a reset line
media: dt-bindings: media: renesas,vsp1: Document RZ/T2H and RZ/N2H SoCs
media: dt-bindings: media: renesas,fcp: Document RZ/T2H and RZ/N2H SoCs
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Add additional 32-bit RGB format support
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Add 16-bit raw Bayer format support
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Implement per-stream reference counting for multiplexed streams
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Use BIT_ULL() for 64-bit stream masks
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Correct color map between V4L2 and ISI
...
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/admin-guide/hw_random.rst')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/admin-guide/hw_random.rst | 104 |
1 files changed, 104 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/hw_random.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/hw_random.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000..bfc39f1cf --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/hw_random.rst @@ -0,0 +1,104 @@ +================================= +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. |
