[PATCH] Require minimum random data entropy when creating LUKS (#1073679)

Vratislav Podzimek vpodzime at redhat.com
Tue Sep 9 11:54:14 UTC 2014


On Mon, 2014-09-08 at 18:18 -0400, Anne Mulhern wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Chris Lumens" <clumens at redhat.com>
> > To: anaconda-patches at lists.fedorahosted.org
> > Sent: Monday, September 8, 2014 1:05:43 PM
> > Subject: Re: [PATCH] Require minimum random data entropy when creating LUKS	(#1073679)
> > 
> > > Maybe we should come up with some "Survey Anaconda Addon" for the
> > > Progress Hub where we would ask users about their opinion and experience
> > > and let them check soething like "I agree with submitting my answers to
> > > Anaconda developers". ;)
> > 
> > That is a pretty good idea.
> > 
> > In the past I've thought about having a check box on the betanag dialog
> > that would have anaconda simply record your session and upload it
> > somewhere, but I've always gotten stuck by the problem of where to put
> > the recording before having it uploaded.
> > 
> > A survey would be much simpler, though we would have to very carefully
> > word things in order to get good data.  Also we couldn't change the
> > questions too often if we ever wanted them to be translated.  It's
> > definitely worth considering, though.
> > 
> > - Chris
> > _______________________________________________
> > anaconda-patches mailing list
> > anaconda-patches at lists.fedorahosted.org
> > https://lists.fedorahosted.org/mailman/listinfo/anaconda-patches
> > 
> 
> I believe I read that there is a problem with remote actions
> to increase entropy. If the install is being controlled from a remote
> keyboard, then the wiggles of the user at that keyboard are de-randomized
> by transmission to the remote location, and therefore don't increase the entropy.
Well, generating network traffic is another good way to increase
entropy, so I believe typing something on a keyboard even over a remote
access should help.

> 
> If entropy is less than min entropy does TUI hang forever? It looks like it.
> Should these users instead be given some way to escape? It seems like there
> is nothing to guarantee or even make likely that entropy will increase up to
> the minimum.
Users can always escape by terminating the installation. Again, I have
to point out that there shouldn't be any problems with a reasonable
value of minimum required entropy (like 256 bits).

> 
> Also, is it really necessary to show the user the percent of required entropy in TUI once
> enough is reached? It's hard for me to imagine that that's a point at which they care
> much.
You mean like leaving it to [93 %] and then hang for a while before
buffer is read and LUKS is created? That doesn't seem like a good idea
to me. The final value >= 100 % is intentionally printed to give users
the information that we have enough and they should stop typing and that
things start to move on again.

-- 
Vratislav Podzimek

Anaconda Rider | RHCE | Red Hat, Inc. | Brno - Czech Republic




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