5 ms·
In the linked article about ghk's talk, you find this tidbit: "If you're not using a supported distro, or a stable long-term kernel, you have an insecure system
by clarry 7y ago
In the linked article about ghk's talk, you find this tidbit: "If you're not using a supported distro, or a stable long-term kernel, you have an insecure system. It's that simple. All those embedded devices out there, that are not updated, totally easy to break."
Is he still talking about SMT, or just poor security of Linux in general?
I'm wondering about this since "all those embedded devices out there" that I can think of are not running CPUs with SMT.
- esotericn 7y agoTons of stuff like NUC's used as digital displays, kiosks, etc, everywhere. I'd be surprised if even half of that was on a proper update path. Embedded isn't just like, microcontrollers. Think about all the times you've seen a BSOD on a billboard.
- clarry 7y agoI don't really consider NUCs or other off-the-shelf commodity x86/amd64 mini PCs to be "embedded." Especially if they're running an off-the-shelf commodity OS that can throw a BSOD. That's not some custom distro that cannot be updated; whether they actually care enough to update it is a different matter altogether. You totally can pick a supported distro with LTS kernels, and keep it up to date. I'm writing this as someone who's used Shuttle's fanless mini PCs (designed for PoS/kiosk use) as desktop & server hardware, all with proper updates. And I work for a company that does actual, custom embedded hardware. I've made a billboard too. None of the actual embedded hardware (almost exclusively ARM) I've used is SMT-capable. Even among off-the-shelf amd64 solutions, it's common for people to stretch the penny and buy a celeron/pentium without hyperthreading. And, fwiw, I've never witnessed a BSOD on a billboard in person.
- jacquesm 7y agoIf it doesn't have a jtag connector it isn't embedded.
- zamadatix 7y agoThis comment is extremely ironic considering it was an Intel processor that spurred the widespread use of JTAG and all the way up to Skylake Intel products had traditional JTAG connectors. These days they do JTAG over a physical USB port but I'm not sure how the shape of the port is supposed to matter. JTAG on the NUCs actually led to a CVE as well IIRC.
- jacquesm 7y agoJTAG has nothing to do with Intel per-se but everything with BGAs which made it super hard to get to certain signals.
- zamadatix 7y agoIt was (relatively) uncommon until Intel released the 80486, then it became very popular and was found on basically every chip. Not that there weren't devices before and after that used JTAG but none nearly as influential in it's growth.