That’s all. I just found this in a random script. Generates a random UUID every time it’s called. I didn’t know.

Of course I can also use uuidgen or pipe /dev/(u)random into something to get a random alphanumeric string - but this is built right into the kernel!

In /proc/sys/kernel/random/, there’s also boot_id which seems to do the same, and some tweakable parameters.

❤️🐧

    • DaPorkchop_@lemmy.ml
      12·
      10 hours ago

      Would have to be cat /proc/sys/kernel/random/uuid > /dev/null

      You can’t pipe to a file, only to programs, and since /dev/null isn’t an executable your command will simply give an error.

      To make it more clear, consider using dd, which lets you explicitly specify an input and output file. For example: dd if=/proc/sys/kernel/random/uuid of=/dev/sda1 wait shit that wasn’t the right output oh god oh fu

    • Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      1·
      7 hours ago

      That reminds me of the CPU stress test I ran many years ago.

      dd if=/dev/random of=/dev/null

      If you have 8 cores, just open 8 terminals, and run that code in each of them.

      • lime!@feddit.nuEnglish
        2·
        7 hours ago
        for i in {1..n}  # where n == number of cores
do
  dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/null &
done

# to stop:
jobs -p | xargs kill
    • henfredemars@infosec.pubEnglish
      2·
      9 hours ago

      The information will be evenly distributed upon its surface and some believe one day it will be be radiated back out into the rest of the system.