NetBSD False Intel Hardware RNG Detection Predictable Random Number Generation Weakness

Bugtraq ID:	17496
Class:	Design Error
CVE:
Remote:	Yes
Local:	Yes
Published:	Apr 13 2006 12:00AM
Updated:	Apr 13 2006 07:22PM
Credit:	Discovered by Matthias Scheler.
Vulnerable:	NetBSD NetBSD 2.1 NetBSD NetBSD 2.0.3 NetBSD NetBSD 2.0.2 NetBSD NetBSD 2.0.1 NetBSD NetBSD 2.0 NetBSD NetBSD 1.6.2 NetBSD NetBSD 1.6.1 NetBSD NetBSD 1.6 beta NetBSD NetBSD 1.6 Navision Financials Server 3.0
Not Vulnerable:

NetBSD False Intel Hardware RNG Detection Predictable Random Number Generation Weakness

NetBSD is prone to predictable keys being generated due to incorrect detection of Intel hardware random number generator (RNG).

A NetBSD driver that employs the hardware RNG incorrectly detects the RNG while it is not present in the chipset and supplies a constant stream of bytes to be used in the entropy pool for the kernel RNG. This may have a significant impact on the quality of keys and other sensitive data that is generated using the predictable value as a seed; this may result in predictable keys being created.

This issue arises on NetBSD systems with i8xx motherboard chipset for x86 CPUs.

NetBSD False Intel Hardware RNG Detection Predictable Random Number Generation Weakness

Currently we are not aware of any exploits for this issue. If you feel we are in error or are aware of more recent information, please mail us at: [email protected]

NetBSD False Intel Hardware RNG Detection Predictable Random Number Generation Weakness

Solution:

NetBSD has released an advisory and fixes to address this issue.

NetBSD False Intel Hardware RNG Detection Predictable Random Number Generation Weakness

References:

• NetBSD Homepage (NetBSD)