random(4) – Linux manual page

Posted on May 28, 2010 by francescodifusco

http://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/online/pages/man4/random.4.html

The character special files /dev/random and /dev/urandom (present since Linux 1.3.30) provide an interface to the kernel’s random number generator. File /dev/random has major device number 1 and minor device number 8. File /dev/urandom has major device number 1 and minor device number 9.

urandom(4): kernel random number source devices – Linux man page

Posted on May 28, 2010 by francescodifusco

http://linux.die.net/man/4/urandom

WebCite query result

Posted on May 28, 2010 by francescodifusco

http://www.webcitation.org/5gOzG0qvc

Syllable is a desktop OS based on AtheOS that provides what seems like a pretty decent desktop experience along with POSIX APIs and the GNU toolchain. My initial interest in the project was to get it installed under KVM and port my project botan to it.

WebCite query result

Posted on May 28, 2010 by francescodifusco

http://www.webcitation.org/5gOzGLECz

The pseudo-device /dev/random exists due to a collision between modern networks, and the historical design of the Unix operating system. First, we assume that the users of a system need cryptography, either in a form they use directly (ie, PGP), or that the system uses on their behalf (SSL and IPSec). All such cryptography requires the generation of a large amount of random or pseudo-random bits. There are other uses for such random bits, but these are few and far between, and /dev/random was initially designed for crypto, which is why it tries so hard to be cryptographically secure.