Entropy Source for Openssl 3.8

Martin Bonner Martin.Bonner at entrust.com
Thu Aug 31 09:37:21 UTC 2023


It is possible for a FIPS approved implementation to use a FIPS approved
entropy source, and then to incorporate additional entropy from a
non-approved source via the "personalization string" and "additional input"
arguments to the DRBG.  Making that available from the FIPS provider would
be nice (but would need revalidating of course).

Martin Bonner

----------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:*openssl-users <openssl-users-bounces at openssl.org> *On Behalf Of
> *Dr Paul Dale
> The code there is somewhat confused by the way the FIPS provider
> gathers it's entropy.
> It doesn't access the seed source directly, instead it has call-backs
> into libcrypto to request entropy.
> The critical function is ossl_rand_get_entropy in
> crypto/rand/prov_seed.c.? This function satisfies the FIPS provider's
> request for entropy and it doesn't access the seed source specified,
> instead it goes directly to OpenSSL's internal entropy gathering.
>
> So, no there isn't a way to do what you want.
>
> It wasn't intended to operate this way and I'll look at producing a fix.
>
> Pauli

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