[Python-Dev] what platforms require RAND_add() before using SSL? (original) (raw)

Bill Janssen janssen at parc.com
Sun Sep 9 17:44:17 CEST 2007


> There are some functions in ssl.c for gathering randomness from a > daemon, and adding that randomness to the pseudo-random number > generator in SSL, before using SSL. There's a note there saying that > "on some platform" this is necessary. Anyone know which platforms?

In general, anything that does not have /dev/[u]random; older Solaris releases and HP-UX in particular.

Thanks, I"ll add that to the documentation. Any ideas what the values of the "entropy" parameter to RAND_add() are like, or how they are derived? I did a rapid skim of RFC 1750, but didn't see it there.

Bill



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