1 .\" Copyright (C) 2001 Jeff Garzik -- jgarzik@pobox.com
3 .TH RNGD 8 "March 2001" "@PACKAGE@ @VERSION@"
6 rngd \- Check and feed random data from hardware device to kernel random device
10 [\fB\-b\fR, \fB\-\-background\fR]
11 [\fB\-f\fR, \fB\-\-foreground\fR]
12 [\fB\-o\fR, \fB\-\-random-device=\fIfile\fR]
13 [\fB\-p\fR, \fB\-\-pid-file=\fIfile\fR]
14 [\fB\-r\fR, \fB\-\-rng-device=\fIfile\fR]
15 [\fB\-s\fR, \fB\-\-random-step=\fInnn\fR]
16 [\fB\-W\fR, \fB\-\-fill-watermark=\fInnn\fR]
17 [\fB\-d\fR, \fB\-\-no-drng=\fI1|0\fR]
18 [\fB\-n\fR, \fB\-\-no-tpm=\fI1|0\fR]
19 [\fB\-q\fR, \fB\-\-quiet\fR]
20 [\fB\-v\fR, \fB\-\-verbose\fR]
21 [\fB\-?\fR, \fB\-\-help\fR]
22 [\fB\-V\fR, \fB\-\-version\fR]
26 This daemon feeds data from a random number generator to the kernel's
27 random number entropy pool, after first checking the data to ensure that
28 it is properly random.
30 The \fB\-f\fR or \fB\-\-foreground\fR options can be used to tell
31 \fBrngd\fR to avoid forking on startup. This is typically used for
32 debugging. The \fB\-b\fR or \fB\-\-background\fR options, which fork and put
33 \fBrngd\fR into the background automatically, are the default.
35 The \fB\-r\fR or \fB\-\-rng-device\fR options can be used to select an
36 alternate source of input, besides the default /dev/hwrandom.
37 The \fB\-o\fR or \fB\-\-random-device\fR options can be used to select
38 an alternate entropy output device, besides the default /dev/random.
39 Note that this device must support the Linux kernel /dev/random
42 FIXME: document random-step and timeout
46 \fB\-b\fR, \fB\-\-background\fR
47 Become a daemon (default)
49 \fB\-f\fR, \fB\-\-foreground\fR
50 Do not fork and become a daemon
52 \fB\-p\fI file\fR, \fB\-\-pid-file=\fIfile\fR
53 File used for recording daemon PID, and multiple exclusion
54 (default: /var/run/rngd.pid)
56 \fB\-o\fI file\fR, \fB\-\-random-device=\fIfile\fR
57 Kernel device used for random number output
58 (default: /dev/random)
60 \fB\-r\fI file\fR, \fB\-\-rng-device=\fIfile\fR
61 Kernel device used for random number input
62 (default: /dev/hwrandom)
64 \fB\-s\fI nnn\fR, \fB\-\-random-step=\fInnn\fR
65 Number of bytes written to random-device at a time (default: 64)
67 \fB\-W\fI n\fR, \fB\-\-fill\-watermark=\fInnn\fR
68 Once we start doing it, feed entropy to \fIrandom-device\fR until at least
69 \fIfill-watermark\fR bits of entropy are available in its entropy pool (default: 2048).
70 Setting this too high will cause \fIrngd\fR to dominate the contents of the
71 entropy pool. Low values will hurt system performance during entropy
72 starves. Do not set \fIfill-watermark\fR above the size of the
73 entropy pool (usually 4096 bits).
75 \fB\-d\fI 1|0\fR, \fB\-\-no-drng=\fI1|0\fR
76 Do not use drng as a source of random number input (default:0)
78 \fB\-n\fI 1|0\fR, \fB\-\-no-tpm=\fI1|0\fR
79 Do not use tpm as a source of random number input (default:0)
81 \fB\-q\fR, \fB\-\-quiet\fR
82 Suppress error messages
84 \fB\-v\fR, \fB\-\-verbose\fR
85 Report available entropy sources
87 \fB\-?\fR, \fB\-\-help\fR
88 Give a short summary of all program options.
90 \fB\-V\fR, \fB\-\-version\fR
96 Jeff Garzik \- jgarzik@pobox.com