FreeBSD Developers Will Not Trust Chip-Based Encryption

Slashdot ^ | December 11, 2013 | Soulskill

[Dalberg-Acton]

"An article at Ars Technica explains how, following stories of NSA leaks, FreeBSD developers will not rely solely on Intel's or Via's chip-based random number generators for /dev/random values. The values will first be seeded through another randomization algorithm known as 'Yarrow.' The changes are effective with the upcoming FreeBSD 10.0 (for which the first of three planned release candidates became available last week)."

[Dalberg-Acton]

Not allowed to post ARS Technica articles here.

[Paine in the Neck]

Here's more on the implications from Karl Denninger.

[GeronL]

tech ping?

[Dalberg-Acton]

Yes, please.

[I want the USA back]

No computer is capable of generating random numbers. Pseudo-random yes. Random no.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Dalberg-Acton.

[Dalberg-Acton]

I was looking at some different versions of BSD Unix and found one called "TrustedBSD". Now that name throws up red flags:
The TrustedBSD Project is made possible through generous sponsorship and support from a variety of organizations, including the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Security Agency (NSA) . . .

[Dalberg-Acton]

OpenBSD Cryptography page.

[SunkenCiv]

IOW, the NSA and DARPA trusts that TrustedBSD will be adopted by BSD users. ;’)

[SunkenCiv]

http://www.FreeBSD.org/

http://www.openbsd.org/