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Entropy (computing)

In computing, entropy is the randomness collected by an operating system or application for use in cryptography or other uses that require random data. This randomness is often collected from hardware sources (variance in fan noise or HDD), either pre-existing ones such as mouse movements or specially provided randomness generators. A lack of entropy can…

Windows, Practical implications & Linux kernel

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Overview

Linux kernel

OpenBSD kernel

Hurd kernel

Solaris

OS/2

Windows

Embedded systems

(De)centralized systems

Hardware-originated entropy

Practical implications

Potential sources

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Entropy (computing)

Nodes70
Edges69
Triples7
Avg. degree1.97
Density0.028571
Components1

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entropy random linux systems sources use randomness dev system kernel one often cryptography mouse uses data keyboard available source devices

Entity relationships Subject–Predicate–Object triples

SubjectPredicateObjectConfidenceSrc
mouse movements or specially provided randomness generatorsinstance ofeither pre-existing ones0.80text
Fedorainstance ofwhich is included in some operating systems0.80text
allows audio data to be used as an entropy sourceinstance ofwhich is included in some operating systems0.80text
the number of free bytes in memory that combined with a random seed generates desired randomness it needs.Programmers using CAPI can get entropy by calling CAPI's CryptGenRandominstance ofuses a variety of sources0.80text
the device's MAC addressinstance ofor seed random generators from easily guessed unique identifiers0.80text
routers using the same keysinstance ofA simple study demonstrated the widespread use of weak keys by finding many embedded systems0.80text
IDE timings.The entropy pool size in Linux is viewable through the file /proc/sys/kernel/random/instance ofthus servers have to generate their entropy from a limited set of resources0.80text

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