Research on Random Number Prediction and Security Threats in Embedded Linux Systems

Linux is one of the most popular open source operating systems, which has the characteristics of small size, strong stability, high portability and wide support for hardware. It is widely used in key network equipment such as routers, switches, firewalls and various intelligent home appliances of Internet of things. By analyzing the kernel code of a specific version of Linux, researchers have discovered the kernel random number vulnerability of Linux system running on a certain type of device. The vulnerability greatly reduces the variable space of entropy source in the initialization process of random entropy pool in the system kernel. So as to realize the prediction of all the random numbers in the whole operation cycle of the system. The use of predictive random number methods can cause serious security problems to the critical services hosted in the system that use random numbers as related keys or authentication means.