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This is among the sillier NSA stories I've read. First of all, the "link to NSA" was basically invented out of thin air. The original article in Die Zeit as w
by rainsford 13y ago
This is among the sillier NSA stories I've read. First of all, the "link to NSA" was basically invented out of thin air. The original article in Die Zeit as well as this one are basically just reporting that TPM COULD be a "backdoor" for the NSA but not actually supporting the idea that it IS.
And beyond the issue of baseless speculation as a replacement for journalism, it's a little hard to understand why NSA (or anyone else) controlling TPM is a special threat to users. Despite what the article claims, I don't think TPM is a "backdoor" and it certainly isn't a "surveillance chip". And the articles don't explain how control over TPM gives someone a special advantage over computers with TPM support, an explanation I'm not holding my breath for.
- walshemj 13y agoAnd you dont have to use a TPM module in a pc all the consumer motherboards i have looked at for my latest hazwell build dont have them just a header in case you want to add one.
- forgottenpaswrd 13y agoExcuse moi, man, but TPM IS a backdoor. How would you define that when MS wants it could enter your computer and control it without you ever realizing. Then if something is proven is that if Microsoft can, then NSA can too. Why Microsoft controlling the crypto keys to your computers is a problem? Are you serious? Why American companies controlling all the computers of the rest of the world is an issue? Europe for one should not depend on American companies for basic use of their computers. This is obvious, if you are not American.
- rbanffy 13y ago> This is obvious, if you are not American. This should be obvious, regardless of nationality.
- Fuxy 13y agoI don't like DRM chips period. I don't care if Microsoft, NSA or whoever puts it in I'm either not buying it or if I don't have a choice I'm heating up my soldering iron. No chip is going to stop me from installing whatever the hell I want on my computer.
- sigkill 13y agoIn all seriousness how feasible is it to run a hot air gun over the TPM chip and remove it before even you first boot the computer? Would the computer boot? And if it does, would it just go with "Oh, I thought I came equipped with a TPM chip. I don't seem to have one. Oh well, let's carry on anyway"?
- Fuxy 13y agoI would suspect that depends on the datasheet of the chip and if there's any check mechanisms in the UEFI. It could be implemented in such a way that removing it would cause problems but it shouldn't be too hard to work around it. Worst case you would you would replace it with something that imitates its response when the UEFI searches for it. Since a lot of motherboards have spaces for it but seem to function just fine without it leads me to believe it should work just by removing it.