GLXSB(4)

📦 version 12.2, in debian bookworm, debian trixie, ubuntu jammy, ubuntu noble, ubuntu questing, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

💖 GLXSB(4) 💖

okay bestie, so this is a page from the i386 Kernel Interfaces Manual, and it's all about the Geode LX Security Block crypto accelerator. yes it's a mouthful. no you don't have to say it out loud. let's get into it 🦋

✨ NAME ✨

glxsb — the Geode LX Security Block crypto accelerator. that's the whole name. short, sweet, does hardware things. periodt 💅

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

so if you wanna bake this driver into the kernel (main character move), you drop these lines into your kernel config file:

device crypto
device glxsb

or, if you'd rather be a lil modular queen and load it as a module at boot time, you put this line in loader.conf(5):

glxsb_load="YES"

that's it. that's the vibe check. ✨

💫 DESCRIPTION 💫

okay so. the glxsb driver supports the security block of the Geode LX series processors. and the Geode LX? it's a member of the AMD Geode family of integrated x86 system chips. so like, it's a lil chip family reunion and this driver is the one holding the aux cord. 🔥

the driver is driven by periodic checks for available data from the generator, and it supplies entropy to the random(4) driver for common usage. so it's basically feeding the randomness vibes into the system. generous. iconic. 🎀

glxsb also supports acceleration of AES-128-CBC operations for crypto(4). and it also registers itself to accelerate other HMAC algorithms — except, plot twist, there is no hardware acceleration for those algorithms. nope. none. it only does this so that glxsb can work with ipsec(4). it's giving "I'm here for moral support" energy and honestly? valid. 🫶

🚨 CAVEAT 🚨

bestie listen. this part matters. 💀

The crypto(9) framework will fail to open the crypto session on the device if the AES key's length is != 128 bits.

which means — and I need you to hear me on this — this prevents the use of the glxsb device driver with AES keys of length != 128 bits. so if your key isn't exactly 128 bits, it's not happening. no cap. don't come for me, come for the key length. 😭

👀 SEE ALSO 👀

go read them. they're all in the group chat. iykyk 💜

📜 HISTORY 📜

The glxsb device driver first appeared in OpenBSD 4.1. then the glxsb device driver was imported into FreeBSD 7.1. glow up across operating systems. we love a cross-platform era. 🌈⭐

👑 AUTHORS 👑

The glxsb device driver was written for OpenBSD by Tom Cosgrove. and it was ported to FreeBSD by Patrick Lamaiziere <patfbsd@davenulle.org>. absolute legends, both of them. credit where credit is due, always. 🎀💖

okay that's the whole page bestie, go forth and accelerate some AES-128-CBC 💅✨

this lil masterpiece came out of the Debian crew on June 8, 2008, and yes it's the GLXSB(4) page, mwah 😘🌸

📦 where this page comes from