[openssl-dev] Improving OpenSSL default RNG

[Alessandro Ghedini]

On Fri, Oct 23, 2015 at 04:34:11PM +0200, Dr. Matthias St. Pierre wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I have a related question concerning alternative RNGs, hope it is not too
> off-topic:
> 
> Currently we are using the NIST-SP800-90a compliant DRBG (fips_drbg_method()),
> because it seemed to us to be more sophisticated and mature than the default
> RAND_SSLeay(). At least it's better documented and tested.
> 
> Currently this DRBG is only available through the FIPS object module, so you
> need to build a FIPS capable OpenSSL library in order to use it.
> 
> Shouldn't the FIPS DRBG code be added to the normal code base in master, too,
> as an alternative RNG implemtation? Or is the NIST-SP800-90a DRG construction
> already obsolete outside of FIPS world?

FWIW, the FIPS module was recently removed, so FIPS_drbg_method() is not present
in master anymore. I think there are plans to reimplement the whole thing, but
I don't know anything about that.

In general the NIST DRBGs seem fairly complicated (or completely untrustworthy
like Dual EC DRBG), so I'd rather have a different implementation as default
RNG for OpenSSL.

Cheers
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