Uncorrectable freedom and security issues on x86 platforms (2016)

Re:Uncorrectable freedom and security issues on x86 platform... by graycat on Friday March 03, 2017 @04:25PM (#13786761)

I'm trying to understand all of this and especially the threats to privacy, control of my computing hardware, and data security.

I read about some new hard/software for secure boot, etc., but don't recall all the details now.

So, for a shorter approach, suppose I just buy a processor from AMD, a motherboard from ASUS, hard disk drives from Western Digital, etc., and plug it all together for myself. So, then I'm the manufacturer or OEM of my computer.

Q. 1. For what the OP is talking about, where do I have threats to privacy, control of my machine and its data, and security?

Q. 2. To use the machine I plugged together, do I have to get some keys from Microsoft?

Q. 3. Suppose I install operating systems from Microsoft, e.g., Windows 7 64 bit Professional, Windows 10, Windows Server or the database SQL Server. Then do I have to get keys from Microsoft?

Q. 4. Will the support processor and its software, whatever they are called, on their own without my knowledge or approval use the Internet to send/receive data from/to my computer, modify the data on my hard disks, etc.?

Thanks.

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Re:Uncorrectable freedom and security issues on x86 platform... by timonovici on Friday March 03, 2017 @05:28PM (#13787436)

1. The motherboad has a ARC chip, that loads a firmware included in the flash chip. That ARC chip is supposedly inside the PCH (Platform Controller Hub, a north bridge on steroids) - it's efectively in the silicon, you can't remove it.

2. Depends on the motherboard and the BIOS written in the flash chip

3. No. They are already signed.

4. If somebody controls them and ask them to do so. All that's necesary is a LAN connection (or wifi, but only with Intel chips) and power. The HDD is completely irrelevant, as is the OS.

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Re:Uncorrectable freedom and security issues on x86 platform... by graycat on Friday March 03, 2017 @11:00PM (#13789160)

The motherboard I have in mind is the ASUS m5a97 r2.0. Back in October, 2015 I got a PDF on that motherboard at

http://data.manualslib.com/pdf2/42/4150/414970-asus/m5a97_r2...

Just checking, the PDF does mention the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) but not ARC or PCH.

That ASUS manual does mention that the UEFI BIOS does offer automatic updating of the BIOS version; that feature, if enabled, does seem to raise security concerns.

Looking at the UEFI page of Wikipedia at

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_In...

there is

> UEFI can support remote diagnostics and repair of computers, even with no operating system installed.[3]

which seems to raise some security concerns. Also it does appear that some people trying to install an operating system might encounter some mud wrestling. Maybe what I'm intending to do with Microsoft's Windows 7, 10, and Server will be easy enough.

Thanks.

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Re:Uncorrectable freedom and security issues on x86 platform... by nickpsecurity on Friday March 03, 2017 @06:42PM (#13787982)

Do you still work at Fedex in Memphis? If so, we're in same vicinity. Maybe we have lunch some time and Ill tell you all about the various subversions going on. :)

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Re:Uncorrectable freedom and security issues on x86 platform... by graycat on Friday March 03, 2017 @10:25PM (#13789013)

No, I'm not in Memphis or with FedEx but am in NYS and doing a startup.

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Re:Uncorrectable freedom and security issues on x86 platform... by nickpsecurity on Friday March 03, 2017 @10:58PM (#13789152)

Oh ok. Nvm. Guess Ill keep doing it a bit at a time here then. Others covered this topic well, though.

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