It probably belongs in PROBLEMS, but it's more likely to be a FAQ.

[openssl.git] / FAQ

diff --git a/FAQ b/FAQ
index f6a4f6a8eca68e04574de018e5f08b1461d9f339..ac4c5495e222533b3db2952d0d18c3846e940d3e 100644 (file)
--- a/FAQ
+++ b/FAQ
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ OpenSSL  -  Frequently Asked Questions
 * Where can I get a compiled version of OpenSSL?
 * Why aren't tools like 'autoconf' and 'libtool' used?
 * What is an 'engine' version?
 * Where can I get a compiled version of OpenSSL?
 * Why aren't tools like 'autoconf' and 'libtool' used?
 * What is an 'engine' version?

+* How do I check the authenticity of the OpenSSL distribution?

 
 [LEGAL] Legal questions
 
 
 [LEGAL] Legal questions
 


@@ -36,12 +37,16 @@ OpenSSL  -  Frequently Asked Questions
 * Why does the linker complain about undefined symbols?
 * Why does the OpenSSL test fail with "bc: command not found"?
 * Why does the OpenSSL test fail with "bc: 1 no implemented"?
 * Why does the linker complain about undefined symbols?
 * Why does the OpenSSL test fail with "bc: command not found"?
 * Why does the OpenSSL test fail with "bc: 1 no implemented"?

+* Why does the OpenSSL test fail with "bc: stack empty"?

 * Why does the OpenSSL compilation fail on Alpha Tru64 Unix?
 * Why does the OpenSSL compilation fail with "ar: command not found"?
 * Why does the OpenSSL compilation fail on Win32 with VC++?
 * What is special about OpenSSL on Redhat?
 * Why does the OpenSSL compilation fail on MacOS X?
 * Why does the OpenSSL test suite fail on MacOS X?
 * Why does the OpenSSL compilation fail on Alpha Tru64 Unix?
 * Why does the OpenSSL compilation fail with "ar: command not found"?
 * Why does the OpenSSL compilation fail on Win32 with VC++?
 * What is special about OpenSSL on Redhat?
 * Why does the OpenSSL compilation fail on MacOS X?
 * Why does the OpenSSL test suite fail on MacOS X?

+* Why does the OpenSSL test suite fail in BN_sqr test [on a 64-bit platform]?
+* Why does OpenBSD-i386 build fail on des-586.s with "Unimplemented
+  segment type"?

 
 [PROG] Questions about programming with OpenSSL
 
 
 [PROG] Questions about programming with OpenSSL
 


@@ -64,7 +69,7 @@ OpenSSL  -  Frequently Asked Questions
 * Which is the current version of OpenSSL?
 
 The current version is available from <URL: http://www.openssl.org>.
 * Which is the current version of OpenSSL?
 
 The current version is available from <URL: http://www.openssl.org>.

-OpenSSL 0.9.6f was released on August 8, 2002.
+OpenSSL 0.9.6h was released on December 5, 2002.

 
 In addition to the current stable release, you can also access daily
 snapshots of the OpenSSL development version at <URL:
 
 In addition to the current stable release, you can also access daily
 snapshots of the OpenSSL development version at <URL:


@@ -135,6 +140,19 @@ hardware. This was realized in a special release '0.9.6-engine'. With
 version 0.9.7 (not yet released) the changes were merged into the main
 development line, so that the special release is no longer necessary.
 
 version 0.9.7 (not yet released) the changes were merged into the main
 development line, so that the special release is no longer necessary.
 

+* How do I check the authenticity of the OpenSSL distribution?
+
+We provide MD5 digests and ASC signatures of each tarball.
+Use MD5 to check that a tarball from a mirror site is identical:
+
+   md5sum TARBALL | awk '{print $1;}' | cmp - TARBALL.md5
+
+You can check authenticity using pgp or gpg. You need the OpenSSL team
+member public key used to sign it (download it from a key server). Then
+just do:
+
+   pgp TARBALL.asc
+

 [LEGAL] =======================================================================
 
 * Do I need patent licenses to use OpenSSL?
 [LEGAL] =======================================================================
 
 * Do I need patent licenses to use OpenSSL?


@@ -225,6 +243,8 @@ support can be found at
   http://sunsolve.sun.com/pub-cgi/retrieve.pl?doc=fsrdb/27606&zone_32=SUNWski
 However, be warned that /dev/random is usually a blocking device, which
 may have some effects on OpenSSL.
   http://sunsolve.sun.com/pub-cgi/retrieve.pl?doc=fsrdb/27606&zone_32=SUNWski
 However, be warned that /dev/random is usually a blocking device, which
 may have some effects on OpenSSL.

+A third party /dev/random solution for Solaris is available at
+  http://www.cosy.sbg.ac.at/~andi/

 
 
 * Why do I get an "unable to write 'random state'" error message?
 
 
 * Why do I get an "unable to write 'random state'" error message?


@@ -402,6 +422,17 @@ and compile/install it.  GNU bc (see http://www.gnu.org/software/software.html
 for download instructions) can be safely used, for example.
 
 
 for download instructions) can be safely used, for example.
 
 

+* Why does the OpenSSL test fail with "bc: stack empty"?
+
+On some DG/ux versions, bc seems to have a too small stack for calculations
+that the OpenSSL bntest throws at it.  This gets triggered when you run the
+test suite (using "make test").  The message returned is "bc: stack empty".
+
+The best way to deal with this is to find another implementation of bc
+and compile/install it.  GNU bc (see http://www.gnu.org/software/software.html
+for download instructions) can be safely used, for example.
+
+

 * Why does the OpenSSL compilation fail on Alpha Tru64 Unix?
 
 On some Alpha installations running Tru64 Unix and Compaq C, the compilation
 * Why does the OpenSSL compilation fail on Alpha Tru64 Unix?
 
 On some Alpha installations running Tru64 Unix and Compaq C, the compilation


@@ -524,6 +555,35 @@ libraries you just built.
 Look in the file PROBLEMS for a more detailed explanation and for possible
 solutions.
 
 Look in the file PROBLEMS for a more detailed explanation and for possible
 solutions.
 

+* Why does the OpenSSL test suite fail in BN_sqr test [on a 64-bit platform]?
+
+Failure in BN_sqr test is most likely caused by a failure to configure the
+toolkit for current platform or lack of support for the platform in question.
+Run './config -t' and './apps/openssl version -p'. Do these platform
+identifiers match? If they don't, then you most likely failed to run
+./config and you're hereby advised to do so before filing a bug report.
+If ./config itself fails to run, then it's most likely problem with your
+local environment and you should turn to your system administrator (or
+similar). If identifiers match (and/or no alternative identifier is
+suggested by ./config script), then the platform is unsupported. There might
+or might not be a workaround. Most notably on SPARC64 platforms with GNU
+C compiler you should be able to produce a working build by running
+'./config -m32'. I understand that -m32 might not be what you want/need,
+but the build should be operational. For further details turn to
+<openssl-dev@openssl.org>.
+
+* Why does OpenBSD-i386 build fail on des-586.s with "Unimplemented
+  segment type"?
+
+As of 0.9.7 assembler routines were overhauled for position independency
+of the machine code, which is essential for shared library support. Now
+for some reason OpenBSD is equipped with out-of-date GNU assembler which
+finds the new code offending. To work the problem around configure with
+no-asm (and sacrifice a great deal of performance) or upgrade /usr/bin/as.
+For your convenience a pre-compiled replacement binary is provided as
+http://www.openssl.org/~appro/i386-openbsd3-as, which is compiled from
+binutils-2.8 released in 1997.
+

 [PROG] ========================================================================
 
 * Is OpenSSL thread-safe?
 [PROG] ========================================================================
 
 * Is OpenSSL thread-safe?