glfs/postlfs/config/random.xml
Pierre Labastie 81a73ed8b2 Format postlfs config
git-svn-id: svn://svn.linuxfromscratch.org/BLFS/trunk/BOOK@22886 af4574ff-66df-0310-9fd7-8a98e5e911e0
2020-03-25 15:07:11 +00:00

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XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<!DOCTYPE sect1 PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.5//EN"
"http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.5/docbookx.dtd" [
<!ENTITY % general-entities SYSTEM "../../general.ent">
%general-entities;
]>
<sect1 id="postlfs-config-random" xreflabel="Random number generation" revision="sysv">
<?dbhtml filename="random.html"?>
<sect1info>
<othername>$LastChangedBy$</othername>
<date>$Date$</date>
</sect1info>
<title>Random Number Generation</title>
<indexterm zone="postlfs-config-random">
<primary sortas="f-random">random</primary>
</indexterm>
<para>
The Linux kernel supplies a random number generator which is accessed
through <filename class="devicefile">/dev/random</filename> and
<filename class="devicefile">/dev/urandom</filename>. Programs that utilize
the random and urandom devices, such as <application>OpenSSH</application>,
will benefit from these instructions.
</para>
<para>
When a Linux system starts up without much operator interaction, the
entropy pool (data used to compute a random number) may be in a fairly
predictable state. This creates the real possibility that the number
generated at startup may always be the same. In order to counteract
this effect, you should carry the entropy pool information across your
shut-downs and start-ups.
</para>
<para>
Install the <filename>/etc/rc.d/init.d/random</filename> init script
included with the <xref linkend="bootscripts"/> package.
</para>
<screen role="root"><userinput>make install-random</userinput></screen>
</sect1>