6 ms·

Lenovo has the best laptops? Is spyware a good thing now?

by plandis 10y ago

Noctix 10y ago
IIRC, the Thinkpad line was not affected, and wasn't it a external partner that planted the rootkit?
- lukas099 10y ago
  Even if so, it reflects poorly on Lenovo.
- citruspi 10y ago
  > the Thinkpad line was not affected Correct. > wasn't it a external partner that planted the rootkit? Nope. The first time it was 3rd party software, Superfish, but Lenovo installed it and installed a self-signing root certificate authority to MITM the traffic[0]. The second time it was Lenovo's own software, Lenovo Service Engine, which they also installed themselves[1]. [0]: http://www.zdnet.com/article/superfish-stop-using-your-lenovo-laptop-now/ http://www.zdnet.com/article/superfish-stop-using-your-lenov... [1]: http://www.zdnet.com/article/lenovo-rootkit-ensured-its-software-could-not-be-deleted/ http://www.zdnet.com/article/lenovo-rootkit-ensured-its-soft...
VT_Drew 10y ago
I read that too. Lenovo the top spot? Aaaand we are done here. I am not going to trust any "review"/"ranking" system that doesn't put Lenovo dead last. They were caught 2 times preloading spyware/malware on their machines.
interfixus 10y ago
Someone recently gifted me a ThinkPad. It is hands down the most awesomely satisfying piece of computing equipment I have ever owned. Of course, I wouldn't dream of running this or any other real computer with a pre-installed OS.
- glogla 10y ago
  If only thinkpads had non-rubbish screens and touchpads. Actually, I could probably learn to use the nub, whatever. Just give me reasonable screens on something under 2000 USD.
- VT_Drew 10y ago
  Doesn't matter if you re-install the OS. They spyware was baked into the BIOS. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/08/12/lenovo_firmware_nasty/ https://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/08/12/lenovo_firmware_nas...
  - interfixus 10y ago
    I do not reinstall "the OS". One charm of this ThinkPad is it works superbly with some Arch Linux on it.
    - VT_Drew 10y ago
      >I do not reinstall "the OS". >it works superbly with some Arch Linux on it. These 2 statements contradict each other. Either you reinstall the OS (OK maybe you didn't technically REinstall, but most people would call installing a different OS "reinstalling the OS") or you still running the default OS.
      - interfixus 10y ago
        Installing a different OS is not 'reinstalling' The BIOS thing was specifically targeted at Windows installations, a thing I havn't bothered with since the previous millenium.
- nunez 10y ago
  Really? Which one? I've used the T450, one of the W series ones and an X1 Carbon, and neither of them were very satisfying
  - interfixus 10y ago
Karliss 10y ago
Dell shiped laptops with custom root certificate that had private key available.

Lenovo has the best laptops? Is spyware a good thing now?

by plandis 10y ago

Lenovo has the best laptops? Is spyware a good thing now?

Noctix 10y ago

IIRC, the Thinkpad line was not affected, and wasn't it a external partner that planted the rootkit?

lukas099 10y ago
Even if so, it reflects poorly on Lenovo.
citruspi 10y ago
> the Thinkpad line was not affected Correct. > wasn't it a external partner that planted the rootkit? Nope. The first time it was 3rd party software, Superfish, but Lenovo installed it and installed a self-signing root certificate authority to MITM the traffic[0]. The second time it was Lenovo's own software, Lenovo Service Engine, which they also installed themselves[1]. [0]: http://www.zdnet.com/article/superfish-stop-using-your-lenovo-laptop-now/ http://www.zdnet.com/article/superfish-stop-using-your-lenov... [1]: http://www.zdnet.com/article/lenovo-rootkit-ensured-its-software-could-not-be-deleted/ http://www.zdnet.com/article/lenovo-rootkit-ensured-its-soft...

VT_Drew 10y ago

I read that too. Lenovo the top spot? Aaaand we are done here. I am not going to trust any "review"/"ranking" system that doesn't put Lenovo dead last. They were caught 2 times preloading spyware/malware on their machines.

interfixus 10y ago

Someone recently gifted me a ThinkPad. It is hands down the most awesomely satisfying piece of computing equipment I have ever owned. Of course, I wouldn't dream of running this or any other real computer with a pre-installed OS.

glogla 10y ago
If only thinkpads had non-rubbish screens and touchpads. Actually, I could probably learn to use the nub, whatever. Just give me reasonable screens on something under 2000 USD.
VT_Drew 10y ago
Doesn't matter if you re-install the OS. They spyware was baked into the BIOS. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/08/12/lenovo_firmware_nasty/ https://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/08/12/lenovo_firmware_nas...
- interfixus 10y ago
  I do not reinstall "the OS". One charm of this ThinkPad is it works superbly with some Arch Linux on it.
  - VT_Drew 10y ago
    >I do not reinstall "the OS". >it works superbly with some Arch Linux on it. These 2 statements contradict each other. Either you reinstall the OS (OK maybe you didn't technically REinstall, but most people would call installing a different OS "reinstalling the OS") or you still running the default OS.
    - interfixus 10y ago
      Installing a different OS is not 'reinstalling' The BIOS thing was specifically targeted at Windows installations, a thing I havn't bothered with since the previous millenium.
nunez 10y ago
Really? Which one? I've used the T450, one of the W series ones and an X1 Carbon, and neither of them were very satisfying
- interfixus 10y ago

Karliss 10y ago

Dell shiped laptops with custom root certificate that had private key available.