4 ms·

Why? Couldn't you just format the drives if you were that paranoid? Are they worried about some kind of hardware bugging or sub OS exploits while the owner is n

Why? Couldn't you just format the drives if you were that paranoid? Are they worried about some kind of hardware bugging or sub OS exploits while the owner is not looking?

mohaine 8y ago
Quite simply yes. A modern "computer" is made up of multiple layered CPUs and OSs at this point. WiFi, sound, ssd, GPU all often have embedded cpu and firmware that could get "enhanced" and survive a recore
- bigiain 8y ago
  Hell - even the _batteries_ have embedded cpus and firmware... https://www.defcon.org/images/defcon-19/dc-19-presentations/Miller/DEFCON-19-Miller-Battery-Firmware-Hacking.pdf https://www.defcon.org/images/defcon-19/dc-19-presentations/... (Note slide 116 there - about 7 up from the end: "Attacking the OS kernel") https://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2099616/black-hat-charlie-miller-explains-apple-battery-hack https://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2099616/black-hat-charlie-mi... http://www.karosium.com/2016/08/smbusb-hacking-smart-batteries.html http://www.karosium.com/2016/08/smbusb-hacking-smart-batteri...
  - ridgeguy 8y ago
    In the end, if it runs code, you cannot trust it.
slowburning 8y ago
You could reformat the drives but what if someone has infected the firmware on the drive? Check out: https://www.malwaretech.com/2015/04/hard-disk-firmware-hacking-part-1.html https://www.malwaretech.com/2015/04/hard-disk-firmware-hacki...