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MINIX: ​Intel's hidden in-chip operating system

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Re: MINIX: ​Intel's hidden in-chip operating system

#3

I can't remove from my head the thought that the NSA has been exploiting that for years.

No need to. For anybody who's read the Snowden leaks it's 100% plausible that the NSA owns society through hardware backdoors.

Conclusion: We need 100% open-source hardware ASAP if we're to become a sane society.

Edit: Anyone remember the "Intel inside" trademark [0] which was supposed to add (marketing) value to any PC which was allowed to carry that label? Well, today it's clear that this label actually stands for "Intelligence community inside".

[0] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/trademarks/intel-ins...

Re: MINIX: ​Intel's hidden in-chip operating system

#4
post #3

I can't remove from my head the thought that the NSA has been exploiting that for years.

No need to. For anybody who's read the Snowden leaks it's 100% plausible that the NSA owns society through hardware backdoors. Conclusion: We need 100% open-source hardware ASAP if we're to become a sane society. Edit: Anyone remember the "Intel inside" trademark [0] which was supposed to add (marketing) value to any PC which was allowed to carry that label? Well, today it's clear that this label actually stands for…

Implying opensource cannot contain backdoors for years. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2010/12/fbi-a...

Re: MINIX: ​Intel's hidden in-chip operating system

#6
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No need to. For anybody who's read the Snowden leaks it's 100% plausible that the NSA owns society through hardware backdoors. Conclusion: We need 100% open-source hardware ASAP if we're to become a sane society. Edit: Anyone remember the "Intel inside" trademark [0] which was supposed to add (marketing) value to any PC which was allowed to carry that label? Well, today it's clear that this label actually stands for…

Implying opensource cannot contain backdoors for years. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2010/12/fbi-a...

Yeah but at least you have a chance to find the backdoors.

Re: MINIX: ​Intel's hidden in-chip operating system

#7
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No need to. For anybody who's read the Snowden leaks it's 100% plausible that the NSA owns society through hardware backdoors. Conclusion: We need 100% open-source hardware ASAP if we're to become a sane society. Edit: Anyone remember the "Intel inside" trademark [0] which was supposed to add (marketing) value to any PC which was allowed to carry that label? Well, today it's clear that this label actually stands for…

Implying opensource cannot contain backdoors for years. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2010/12/fbi-a...

The open-source approach is our own chance to purge corruption in the technology layer. We may not yet have implemented the idea perfectly, but keep in mind the following:

With every new player (government, company, user) joining the open-source approach, we get additional eyes on the code/hardware.

Imagine all world governments using only open-source code/hardware: Given the current budgets at play, we would have 100% secure code/hardware in a matter of seconds - for everybody on the Planet.

Why is this not happening? Because governments (currently) still do not fully represent the citizens' interests. They mainly represent their interests first (which is the protection and expansion of their power monopoly). This is called the principal-agent problem.

Re: MINIX: ​Intel's hidden in-chip operating system

#8
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Implying opensource cannot contain backdoors for years. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2010/12/fbi-a...

The open-source approach is our own chance to purge corruption in the technology layer. We may not yet have implemented the idea perfectly, but keep in mind the following: With every new player (government, company, user) joining the open-source approach, we get additional eyes on the code/hardware. Imagine all world governments using only open-source code/hardware: Given the current budgets at play, we would have 10…

Let's suppose that hardware is open-source. How do I know that my instance of the hardware is faithful to the spec? That my vendor didn't modify the hardware?

Let's suppose that I have a 3D printer sophisticated enough to print open-source circuitboards. How do I trust my 3d printer?

I think there's a hardware "trusting trust" problem; I can't imagine how your optimism could ever be realized. I hope I'm missing something!

Re: MINIX: ​Intel's hidden in-chip operating system

#9
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No need to. For anybody who's read the Snowden leaks it's 100% plausible that the NSA owns society through hardware backdoors. Conclusion: We need 100% open-source hardware ASAP if we're to become a sane society. Edit: Anyone remember the "Intel inside" trademark [0] which was supposed to add (marketing) value to any PC which was allowed to carry that label? Well, today it's clear that this label actually stands for…

Implying opensource cannot contain backdoors for years. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2010/12/fbi-a...

If it's not open it's even less likely to be found in the first place. Do you have other options?
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