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Where does say Binary Blob end and Compiled to Silicon begin? For example most CPU's are written in something like verilog or vhdl and include internal ram on
by gHosts 7y ago
Where does say Binary Blob end and Compiled to Silicon begin?
For example most CPU's are written in something like verilog or vhdl and include internal ram on the chip and include a prom with a little bit of code that handles start up tasks.
From what I can see Librem 5 is a general purpose computer with 2 sealed black box modem modules.
Yes, there can be any level of proprietary evil inside those seal boxes... and inside your disk drive controller of your PC.
The question then really is can that proprietary evil control the functions of your computer.
With the disk drive controller, probably pretty hard, with intel ME, probably pretty easy, with the Librem modems? My guess is probably pretty hard.
- megous 7y agoYes, all kinds of these isolated controllers can control your computer in a meaningful way. Modem can record audio or location and send it out on remote request when it's powered on. When modem is used to access internet it can add JS code to html pages and execute code that way. Touch controller can record touches that look like pin entry (it can observe touches, and make some guesses about frequently repeated touch patterns after powerup/wakeup) and replay them after some secret swipe gesture. If UI patterns are known, touch controller can probably tap information out to a web page somewhere and hit submit. Just because there's no direct access to memory, doesn't mean even these "sealed black boxes" can't affect/use software running on the main CPU via other channels. Also if the drivers are not written in a manner that they consider devices they control hostile, I would be surprised if modem would not be able to return specially crafted/unexpected messages over USB that would allow for arbitrary code execution in the kernel or in userland.