Please include virtio-rng in linux-image-*-virtual

[Janne Snabb]

This is more of a feature request than a bug.

Please include the virtio-rng hw_random module in the -virtual kernel package along with the other virtio drivers.

Virtual machines often do not have much of hardware randomness available. This can negatively affect performance of cryptographic operations (HTTPS/TLS handshakes, SSH connections, running GPG etc.) as well as simple things such as opening TCP connections.

This virtio driver solves the problem with QEMU/KVM by providing randomness available in the host machine to the guests which have this driver loaded. This is then used to seed /dev/random.

This module seems to be currently available in the -generic and -server packages (where it is not really needed).

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. From a terminal window please run:

apport-collect 865499

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Janne Snabb (snabb)]

apport logs are not useful because this is a feature request. Changing status.

[spbike (bill-broadley)]

This looks pretty serious. When I use debootstrap to make new virtual machines, they often get the same SSH host key. That's VERY VERY bad. Reporting non-random numbers from /dev/random is a serious bug.

[Janne Snabb (snabb)]

As a workaround I run "haveged" in some of my virtual machines. It hopefully seeds /dev/random with something truly random.

[spbike (bill-broadley)]

I retract my statement about this bug causing the same ssh host keys, I'd delete/edit my comment if I could figure out how.

But it is mighty strange to have the -virtual kernel the worst of all the ubuntu kernels for use under KVM. After all the missing module is specifically intended for use under KVM, yet is only present on the non-virtual kernels.

Seems like having virtio drivers for net, disk, and random numbers for a -virtual kernel is expected, and to have only 2 of 3 is a bug.

[Neil Wilson (neil-aldur)]

The linux-image-generic kernel is still missing the virtio drivers for interaction with the underlying Host. virtio_console is similarly missing rendering the Virtio Serial facility unusable with linux-image-generic and linux-image-virtual kernel flavours.

It's the same on Quantal where you have to install the appropriate 'linux-image-extra' package to get the modules.

[Dustin Kirkland  (kirkland)]

Hey Andy, could you have a look at this for the Ridiculous Rhinoceros cycle?

[Dustin Kirkland  (kirkland)]

Okay, so looks like it's built as a module now, but just not loaded by default.