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Librem 5 not only doesn't provide firmware updates for serious security vulnerabilities but goes out of the way to block the OS from doing it and block updating

by strcat 1y ago

Librem 5 not only doesn't provide firmware updates for serious security vulnerabilities but goes out of the way to block the OS from doing it and block updating firmware in general. It uses a bunch of low security components. It's a closed source device with closed source firmware. Not updating the firmware from the OS has nothing to do with a threat model but rather a loophole in a definition of freedom where a device with a fully closed source OS would be considered free as long as it couldn't be updated by anyone...

fsflover 1y ago
> Librem 5 not only doesn't provide firmware updates for serious security vulnerabilities but goes out of the way to block the OS from doing it and block updating firmware in general This is plain wrong: https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/community-wiki/-/wikis/Frequently%20Asked%20Questions#39-will-the-librem-5-get-proprietary-firmware-updates https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/community-wiki/-/wikis/Freque... (And I think I already told you that once. Upd: @amosbatto did: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30769589 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30769589, and you ignored that.)
- strcat 1y ago
  No, it's not wrong. Their OS objectively does not provide firmware updates and they've blocked updating SoC firmware. The section you've linked acknowledges that they're blocking updating firmware for the SoC. It states they are not going out of the way to block it for external components due to lack of clarity, but their OS is still not providing it. Outside of the SoC, some of their components are end-of-life without updates available and others are not. Some are set up so that they can receive updates and others aren't. Crucially, there aren't cellular radio firmware updates.
  - fsflover 1y ago
    > Their OS objectively does not provide firmware updates and they've blocked updating SoC firmware. Yes, because the FSF endorsement matters, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25504641 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25504641. Why does this matter at all how the updates are implemented? The fact is, the updates are possible and being performed via other means. > Crucially, there aren't cellular radio firmware updates. This is false: https://forums.puri.sm/t/librem-5-firmware-updates/20604 https://forums.puri.sm/t/librem-5-firmware-updates/20604 https://forums.puri.sm/t/updating-firmware-on-the-librem-5/24435/2 https://forums.puri.sm/t/updating-firmware-on-the-librem-5/2... https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/librem5-fw-jail https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/librem5-fw-jail
    - fsflover 1y ago
      Why am I being quietly downvoted? Users are updating the Librem 5 modem firmware. The latter can only be obtained directly from Purism, which is probably a requirement from the vendor.

by strcat 1y ago

fsflover 1y ago

> Librem 5 not only doesn't provide firmware updates for serious security vulnerabilities but goes out of the way to block the OS from doing it and block updating firmware in general This is plain wrong: https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/community-wiki/-/wikis/Frequently%20Asked%20Questions#39-will-the-librem-5-get-proprietary-firmware-updates https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/community-wiki/-/wikis/Freque... (And I think I already told you that once. Upd: @amosbatto did: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30769589 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30769589, and you ignored that.)

strcat 1y ago
No, it's not wrong. Their OS objectively does not provide firmware updates and they've blocked updating SoC firmware. The section you've linked acknowledges that they're blocking updating firmware for the SoC. It states they are not going out of the way to block it for external components due to lack of clarity, but their OS is still not providing it. Outside of the SoC, some of their components are end-of-life without updates available and others are not. Some are set up so that they can receive updates and others aren't. Crucially, there aren't cellular radio firmware updates.
- fsflover 1y ago
  > Their OS objectively does not provide firmware updates and they've blocked updating SoC firmware. Yes, because the FSF endorsement matters, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25504641 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25504641. Why does this matter at all how the updates are implemented? The fact is, the updates are possible and being performed via other means. > Crucially, there aren't cellular radio firmware updates. This is false: https://forums.puri.sm/t/librem-5-firmware-updates/20604 https://forums.puri.sm/t/librem-5-firmware-updates/20604 https://forums.puri.sm/t/updating-firmware-on-the-librem-5/24435/2 https://forums.puri.sm/t/updating-firmware-on-the-librem-5/2... https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/librem5-fw-jail https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/librem5-fw-jail
  - fsflover 1y ago
    Why am I being quietly downvoted? Users are updating the Librem 5 modem firmware. The latter can only be obtained directly from Purism, which is probably a requirement from the vendor.