That's ... what I just said.

>An attacker with access to the firmware could manipulate it to create a backdoor.

You can create backdoors for every device, not just HDDs, why should Toshiba be liable here? iPhones and Androids have tonnes of exploits written for them? Are we extorting them too for SW bugs that lead to vulnerabilities?

>This might involve modifying the firmware to allow remote control, unauthorized data access, or other malicious actions

Remote access how? Can I talk to the exploited firmware of your HDD via the internet while magically bypassing firewalls and the OS security? Is that a technically feasible thing or are you just speculating without background knowledge?

Sounds like first you'd need to compromise the firewalls, OS, SATA controller and network layers to let outsiders talk to the compromised HDD firmware via the internet and if the attacker already has that kind of remote access to your system, then you're already screwed and compromised and the HDD firmware is the least of your worries.

Even if remote HDD firmware vulnerabilities are not technically feasible and only work if you get your hands on the HDD, in cyber-secvurity world, if your HDD/laptop/PC is in the hands of the attacker, then you can consider it already compromised regardless of HDD firmware security.

It all sounds like a nothing burgher or pure FUD.

2. That still means you need physical acces to the victim's system to exploit, nothing that can be exploited remotely.

If Toshiba created a malicous firmware with a backdoor they would be liable for the backdoor.

That's a big IF. Where's the proof for that though? Or is it like the imaginary WMDs in Irak?

Backdoors are usually cleverly disguised software bugs specifically to give you deniability if you ever get caught. It's not like the Jupânese agencies would put their names and signatures in the backdoor's firmare image.