Today at CES, Microsoft announced some of the most serious threats to modern computing in the past two decades, with all future CPUs from Ryzen (6000 series), Intel, and Qualcomm to feature ‘Microsoft Pluton’.
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It is a CPU inside your CPU, that is upgradable by Windows Update (yes, you read that right), and operated by Microsoft.
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It allows Microsoft and their software partners to ‘remotely attest’ that you are running ‘genuine’ and ‘trusted’ software. The idea is that code running on Microsoft’s cloud will be able to remotely take a complete snapshot of your system, and run any validation checks necessary on YOUR hardware and your data. Because it is a ‘CPU inside a CPU’, you will have no ability to monitor, block, or stop this intrusion.
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It is developed based on Xbox DRM, which prevents end-users from running their own unsigned software.
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It is able to access everything you do on your computer, including local files and local programs. This access is remote, and it is monitored through Windows Update.
I really can’t wait for RISC based hardware to start becoming available. We really need to have open hardware that runs Linux going forward.
Wow, they are using both: ransomware and covid-19 to justify this! Nice…
I guess it makes sense for such a product, given how corpos cannot trust their own employees, since they are abusing everybody to such an extent. Technology allowing them total invigilation and ability to cut people off at any moment makes sense to them.
Obviously, this will not end on corporations, but it will allow all sorts of monitoring of everyday users without the ability to decompile or otherwise look at what they are doing on your PC. You may get Apple’s client side image scanning with Windows Update and nobody will be able to tell if this is happening or how it works since the software will be locked in this chip within the chip.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipper_chip legacy continues on :D This also explains why China is ditching Windows PC all together https://mspoweruser.com/china-replace-windows-pcs/
This is a last ditch effort by Microsoft. They know they’re losing ground with collecting data through Windows, so they’re targeting the processors instead.
Even setting the state/corporate surveillance thing aside, I have zero doubts that they’ll be secretly collecting data (that they’ll SWEAR not to) for targeted advertisement and to train their AIs.
Are they “losing ground with collecting data”? I thought that you cannot disable “telemetry” even on Datacentre edition completely. Sure this will help to make it more stealthy/enforced than it is now.
Windows is doing progressively poorly nowadays while Linux, China’s homebrew operating systems like HarmonyOS, and even Mac OS have all been steadily growing.
Granted, Windows is still the majority player for now, but they’re bleeding market share with no end in sight.
while Linux, China’s homebrew operating systems, and
Are you saying China developed their own operating systems not based on Linux? That sounds really interesting, can you tell more?
Afaik HarmonyOS is mostly the name for some userland. It can run on different kernels but uses Linux for more advanced chips like in phones. (Which also allows it to run android apps)
There’s an in-house microkernel variant, like Google’s Fuschia
i agree, this smacks of desperation
I wonder if it can be neutered like Intel ME can…
Considering the latest versions of ME can’t be neutered I’m guessing it will be difficult at best.
So its like having a Microsoft employee looking over your shoulder whenever your computer is powered up - fucking wonderful.
How does any company with (non USA) national security info operate?
Well now they are USA national security info!
Does this also affect Linux?
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Given chrome would likely use this for web DRM YES
