4 ms·

The main goal behind secure boot was a nod and a wink to the OEMs ("nice business you've got there") to introduce just enough friction into the process of insta

by pydry 3y ago

The main goal behind secure boot was a nod and a wink to the OEMs ("nice business you've got there") to introduce just enough friction into the process of installing Linux to inhibit it without being overt enough to attract unwanted attention. It's a neat trick coz they can put pressure on the OEMs to introduce that friction. They can subtly reward that but fully disclaim responsibility for it when they overdo it (which at least one OEM has done). The actual security concerns it deals with (e.g. evil maid attacks) aren't entirely imagined but they're played up.

mschuster91 3y ago
> The actual security concerns it deals with (e.g. evil maid attacks) aren't entirely imagined but they're played up. Not really. God knows what the US CBP does to your devices if you hand them over at border control - which is why I refuse (and every other IT professional should as well) to travel to the US until that is taken back. Pry my devices from my cold dead hands.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  As a US citizen, flying domestically or internationally, what I do is to not take my electronic devices with me. If I need them where I'm going, I ship them ahead via a parcel carrier. On the plane trip itself, I use a burner phone that has no data on it aside from the record of what calls I may have placed or received during that trip. It's rather sad that these precautions are needed, but here we are. I'm just bringing all this up to say that there are ways of travelling without having to put your devices at risk of compromise.
  - mschuster91 3y ago
    For you as an US citizen that works out, they can't deny you entry - but I'd rather not risk the parcel with my device getting lost in the post or stolen, or getting refused entry and being deported (and thus, losing the many thousand dollars one needs for a vacation in the US) for being "suspicious". And there's the entire import duty/customs stuff to work out as well...
    - JohnFen 3y ago
      > I'd rather not risk the parcel with my device getting lost in the post or stolen I think the risk of that with mainstream parcel carriers is pretty low. But I understand the hesitation, for sure. > getting refused entry and being deported (and thus, losing the many thousand dollars one needs for a vacation in the US) for being "suspicious". I have no idea what does or does not mark you as suspicious enough to be denied entry, so I can't comment on that. But if it's a vacation trip, then do you need to take electronic devices at all? Aside from a cell phone, anyway, but if you're concerned about the device being compromised, surely that cell phone doesn't have to be the one you use when you're in your home country. Anyway, I'm not arguing with you even a little, and I hope I'm not coming off as unsympathetic. At heart, I agree with you that everything you're saying is a real problem that needs real solutions. I'm just looking at how to reduce the problem in the meantime until/unless real solutions come about.

by pydry 3y ago

mschuster91 3y ago

> The actual security concerns it deals with (e.g. evil maid attacks) aren't entirely imagined but they're played up. Not really. God knows what the US CBP does to your devices if you hand them over at border control - which is why I refuse (and every other IT professional should as well) to travel to the US until that is taken back. Pry my devices from my cold dead hands.

JohnFen 3y ago
As a US citizen, flying domestically or internationally, what I do is to not take my electronic devices with me. If I need them where I'm going, I ship them ahead via a parcel carrier. On the plane trip itself, I use a burner phone that has no data on it aside from the record of what calls I may have placed or received during that trip. It's rather sad that these precautions are needed, but here we are. I'm just bringing all this up to say that there are ways of travelling without having to put your devices at risk of compromise.
- mschuster91 3y ago
  For you as an US citizen that works out, they can't deny you entry - but I'd rather not risk the parcel with my device getting lost in the post or stolen, or getting refused entry and being deported (and thus, losing the many thousand dollars one needs for a vacation in the US) for being "suspicious". And there's the entire import duty/customs stuff to work out as well...
  - JohnFen 3y ago
    > I'd rather not risk the parcel with my device getting lost in the post or stolen I think the risk of that with mainstream parcel carriers is pretty low. But I understand the hesitation, for sure. > getting refused entry and being deported (and thus, losing the many thousand dollars one needs for a vacation in the US) for being "suspicious". I have no idea what does or does not mark you as suspicious enough to be denied entry, so I can't comment on that. But if it's a vacation trip, then do you need to take electronic devices at all? Aside from a cell phone, anyway, but if you're concerned about the device being compromised, surely that cell phone doesn't have to be the one you use when you're in your home country. Anyway, I'm not arguing with you even a little, and I hope I'm not coming off as unsympathetic. At heart, I agree with you that everything you're saying is a real problem that needs real solutions. I'm just looking at how to reduce the problem in the meantime until/unless real solutions come about.