X-Git-Url: https://git.openssl.org/?p=openssl.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=FAQ;h=1b129bc5ac8bbf977ff5a8246f1a6a568f001f21;hp=bb2f21595deb04568ef1f5bedf8b27140849798b;hb=9d19fbc4fce71a7a5f40314e3d0e25db26f82043;hpb=0382c95e4dcfa53ed53da692d87d7df6a8cf7e29

diff --git a/FAQ b/FAQ
index bb2f21595d..1b129bc5ac 100644
--- a/FAQ
+++ b/FAQ
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ OpenSSL  -  Frequently Asked Questions
 * Which is the current version of OpenSSL?
 
 The current version is available from <URL: http://www.openssl.org>.
-OpenSSL 0.9.7 was released on December 31, 2002.
+OpenSSL 0.9.7a was released on February 19, 2003.
 
 In addition to the current stable release, you can also access daily
 snapshots of the OpenSSL development version at <URL:
@@ -189,18 +189,30 @@ for permission to use their software with OpenSSL.
 
 Cryptographic software needs a source of unpredictable data to work
 correctly.  Many open source operating systems provide a "randomness
-device" that serves this purpose.  On other systems, applications have
-to call the RAND_add() or RAND_seed() function with appropriate data
-before generating keys or performing public key encryption.
-(These functions initialize the pseudo-random number generator, PRNG.)
-
-Some broken applications do not do this.  As of version 0.9.5, the
-OpenSSL functions that need randomness report an error if the random
-number generator has not been seeded with at least 128 bits of
-randomness.  If this error occurs, please contact the author of the
-application you are using.  It is likely that it never worked
-correctly.  OpenSSL 0.9.5 and later make the error visible by refusing
-to perform potentially insecure encryption.
+device" (/dev/urandom or /dev/random) that serves this purpose.
+All OpenSSL versions try to use /dev/urandom by default; starting with
+version 0.9.7, OpenSSL also tries /dev/random if /dev/urandom is not
+available.
+
+On other systems, applications have to call the RAND_add() or
+RAND_seed() function with appropriate data before generating keys or
+performing public key encryption. (These functions initialize the
+pseudo-random number generator, PRNG.)  Some broken applications do
+not do this.  As of version 0.9.5, the OpenSSL functions that need
+randomness report an error if the random number generator has not been
+seeded with at least 128 bits of randomness.  If this error occurs and
+is not discussed in the documentation of the application you are
+using, please contact the author of that application; it is likely
+that it never worked correctly.  OpenSSL 0.9.5 and later make the
+error visible by refusing to perform potentially insecure encryption.
+
+If you are using Solaris 8, you can add /dev/urandom and /dev/random
+devices by installing patch 112438 (Sparc) or 112439 (x86), which are
+available via the Patchfinder at <URL: http://sunsolve.sun.com>
+(Solaris 9 includes these devices by default). For /dev/random support
+for earlier Solaris versions, see Sun's statement at
+<URL: http://sunsolve.sun.com/pub-cgi/retrieve.pl?doc=fsrdb/27606&zone_32=SUNWski>
+(the SUNWski package is available in patch 105710).
 
 On systems without /dev/urandom and /dev/random, it is a good idea to
 use the Entropy Gathering Demon (EGD); see the RAND_egd() manpage for
@@ -233,18 +245,6 @@ OpenSSL command line tools. Applications using the OpenSSL library
 provide their own configuration options to specify the entropy source,
 please check out the documentation coming the with application.
 
-For Solaris 2.6, Tim Nibbe <tnibbe@sprint.net> and others have suggested
-installing the SUNski package from Sun patch 105710-01 (Sparc) which
-adds a /dev/random device and make sure it gets used, usually through
-$RANDFILE.  There are probably similar patches for the other Solaris
-versions.  An official statement from Sun with respect to /dev/random
-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.
-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?
 
@@ -490,10 +490,13 @@ and then redo the compilation.  What you should really do is make sure
 Sometimes, you may get reports from VC++ command line (cl) that it
 can't find standard include files like stdio.h and other weirdnesses.
 One possible cause is that the environment isn't correctly set up.
-To solve that problem, one should run VCVARS32.BAT which is found in
-the 'bin' subdirectory of the VC++ installation directory (somewhere
-under 'Program Files').  This needs to be done prior to running NMAKE,
-and the changes are only valid for the current DOS session.
+To solve that problem for VC++ versions up to 6, one should run
+VCVARS32.BAT which is found in the 'bin' subdirectory of the VC++
+installation directory (somewhere under 'Program Files').  For VC++
+version 7 (and up?), which is also called VS.NET, the file is called
+VSVARS32.BAT instead.
+This needs to be done prior to running NMAKE, and the changes are only
+valid for the current DOS session.
 
 
 * What is special about OpenSSL on Redhat?
@@ -580,7 +583,10 @@ finds the new code offensive. To work around the problem, configure with
 no-asm (and sacrifice a great deal of performance) or patch your assembler
 according to <URL: http://www.openssl.org/~appro/gas-1.92.3.OpenBSD.patch>.
 For your convenience a pre-compiled replacement binary is provided at
-<URL: http://www.openssl.org/~appro/gas-1.92.3.OpenBSD.bin>.
+<URL: http://www.openssl.org/~appro/gas-1.92.3.static.aout.bin>.
+Reportedly elder *BSD a.out platforms also suffer from this problem and
+remedy should be same. Provided binary is statically linked and should be
+working across wider range of *BSD branches, not just OpenBSD.
 
 [PROG] ========================================================================
 
@@ -726,6 +732,7 @@ The general answer is to check the config.log file generated when running
 the OpenSSH configure script. It should contain the detailed information
 on why the OpenSSL library was not detected or considered incompatible.
 
+
 * Can I use OpenSSL's SSL library with non-blocking I/O?
 
 Yes; make sure to read the SSL_get_error(3) manual page!