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diff --git a/collectors/proc.plugin/integrations/entropy.md b/collectors/proc.plugin/integrations/entropy.md deleted file mode 100644 index 8432a1f96..000000000 --- a/collectors/proc.plugin/integrations/entropy.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,133 +0,0 @@ -<!--startmeta -custom_edit_url: "https://github.com/netdata/netdata/edit/master/collectors/proc.plugin/integrations/entropy.md" -meta_yaml: "https://github.com/netdata/netdata/edit/master/collectors/proc.plugin/metadata.yaml" -sidebar_label: "Entropy" -learn_status: "Published" -learn_rel_path: "Data Collection/Linux Systems/System" -most_popular: False -message: "DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE DIRECTLY, IT IS GENERATED BY THE COLLECTOR'S metadata.yaml FILE" -endmeta--> - -# Entropy - - -<img src="https://netdata.cloud/img/syslog.png" width="150"/> - - -Plugin: proc.plugin -Module: /proc/sys/kernel/random/entropy_avail - -<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/maintained%20by-Netdata-%2300ab44" /> - -## Overview - -Entropy, a measure of the randomness or unpredictability of data. - -In the context of cryptography, entropy is used to generate random numbers or keys that are essential for -secure communication and encryption. Without a good source of entropy, cryptographic protocols can become -vulnerable to attacks that exploit the predictability of the generated keys. - -In most operating systems, entropy is generated by collecting random events from various sources, such as -hardware interrupts, mouse movements, keyboard presses, and disk activity. These events are fed into a pool -of entropy, which is then used to generate random numbers when needed. - -The `/dev/random` device in Linux is one such source of entropy, and it provides an interface for programs -to access the pool of entropy. When a program requests random numbers, it reads from the `/dev/random` device, -which blocks until enough entropy is available to generate the requested numbers. This ensures that the -generated numbers are truly random and not predictable. - -However, if the pool of entropy gets depleted, the `/dev/random` device may block indefinitely, causing -programs that rely on random numbers to slow down or even freeze. This is especially problematic for -cryptographic protocols that require a continuous stream of random numbers, such as SSL/TLS and SSH. - -To avoid this issue, some systems use a hardware random number generator (RNG) to generate high-quality -entropy. A hardware RNG generates random numbers by measuring physical phenomena, such as thermal noise or -radioactive decay. These sources of randomness are considered to be more reliable and unpredictable than -software-based sources. - -One such hardware RNG is the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), which is a dedicated hardware chip that is used -for cryptographic operations and secure boot. The TPM contains a built-in hardware RNG that generates -high-quality entropy, which can be used to seed the pool of entropy in the operating system. - -Alternatively, software-based solutions such as `Haveged` can be used to generate additional entropy by -exploiting sources of randomness in the system, such as CPU utilization and network traffic. These solutions -can help to mitigate the risk of entropy depletion, but they may not be as reliable as hardware-based solutions. - - - - -This collector is only supported on the following platforms: - -- linux - -This collector only supports collecting metrics from a single instance of this integration. - - -### Default Behavior - -#### Auto-Detection - -This integration doesn't support auto-detection. - -#### Limits - -The default configuration for this integration does not impose any limits on data collection. - -#### Performance Impact - -The default configuration for this integration is not expected to impose a significant performance impact on the system. - - -## Metrics - -Metrics grouped by *scope*. - -The scope defines the instance that the metric belongs to. An instance is uniquely identified by a set of labels. - - - -### Per Entropy instance - - - -This scope has no labels. - -Metrics: - -| Metric | Dimensions | Unit | -|:------|:----------|:----| -| system.entropy | entropy | entropy | - - - -## Alerts - - -The following alerts are available: - -| Alert name | On metric | Description | -|:------------|:----------|:------------| -| [ lowest_entropy ](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/master/health/health.d/entropy.conf) | system.entropy | minimum number of bits of entropy available for the kernel’s random number generator | - - -## Setup - -### Prerequisites - -No action required. - -### Configuration - -#### File - -There is no configuration file. -#### Options - - - -There are no configuration options. - -#### Examples -There are no configuration examples. - - |