Re: GELI - disk encryption for FreeBSD - review request.

From: Joseph Ashwood (ashwood_at_msn.com)
Date: 07/29/05 

Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2005 11:27:06 GMT

"Andrew Swallow" <am.swallow@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
news:dcc4na$7p1$1@nwrdmz03.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> Joseph Ashwood wrote:
[use entropy collection]
> Entropy collection quickly runs into practical problems.
> For a disk being written to 50 times a second
> 50 * 24 = 1200 bits of entropy per second.
>
> Servers frequently do not even have a mouse to wave around.
> There may be sufficient entropy to change the second key
> variable every time you power up.

That could pose a problem. I'm not entirely certain of the real
requirements, I haven't given those much investigation, for examination I
had simply assumed an infinite number of purely entropic bits were easily
available. I'm sure there's some compromise between pure entropy and CTR
mode that will be secure.
                Joe

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