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Re: [PATCH 2/2] reftable/stack: accept insecure random bytes

From
Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date
Jan 8, 2025, 15:39 UTC
Message-ID
<xmqqr05dnwli.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To
<Z34gfa-_dSbWD19h@pks.im>
Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im> writes:
Show 14 quoted lines
>> It may still make sense to drop the first hunk, and consider how to
>> proceed when you further want to reduce the unnecessary dependencies
>> for external users of the reftable library, though.  Are there
>> correctness implications if git_rand() in format_name() yields non
>> random results (like, always using "rnd = 0" instead of calling
>> git_rand())?  I seriously hope not.  And if there is no correctness
>> implications, perhaps we can replace it with rand() or even constant
>> "0"?
>
> No, there aren't any implications on correctness in that case. Sure, the
> randomized delays not being randomized can lead to more contention. But
> even when the randomized suffix for tables is deterministic we wouldn't
> have an issue as the files are still distinguished by their update
> indices.

OK, so they both can be turned into a simple rand() that is expected to work more reliably especially on more exotic systems (meaning: the ability the system providers can test their rand() is much better than our ability to test our git_rand() there)? It would help us solve the immediate issue reported, while removing one git specific function from the reftable library?

Thanks.
Previous: Patrick SteinhardtNext: Patrick Steinhardt
Message 10 of 19 in “reftable/stack: stop dying on exhausted entropy pool”
  1. 0/2 reftable/stack: stop dying on exhausted entropy poolPatrick Steinhardt, Jan 7, 2025
  2. 1/2 wrapper: allow generating insecure random bytesPatrick Steinhardt, Jan 7, 2025
  3. 2/2 reftable/stack: accept insecure random bytesPatrick Steinhardt, Jan 7, 2025
  4. rsbecker@nexbridge.comJan 7, 2025
  5. Junio C HamanoJan 7, 2025
  6. rsbecker@nexbridge.comJan 7, 2025
  7. Junio C HamanoJan 7, 2025
  8. Junio C HamanoJan 7, 2025
  9. Patrick SteinhardtJan 8, 2025
  10. Junio C HamanoJan 8, 2025
  11. Patrick SteinhardtJan 8, 2025
  12. Junio C HamanoJan 8, 2025
  13. Patrick SteinhardtJan 8, 2025
  14. rsbecker@nexbridge.comJan 7, 2025
  15. brian m. carlsonJan 7, 2025
  16. rsbecker@nexbridge.comJan 7, 2025
  17. Patrick SteinhardtJan 8, 2025
  18. rsbecker@nexbridge.comJan 8, 2025
  19. brian m. carlsonJan 8, 2025

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