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Project Mu – A modular UEFI environment for building modern devices

microsoft.github.io

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Re: Project Mu – A modular UEFI environment for building modern devices

#11

Post by snek »

checktheorder wrote: post #9
pgeorgi wrote: post #5

Project Mu is mostly about getting the messy parts of the UEFI ecosystem sorted out: Instead of hoping that IBVs ("Independent BIOS Vendors") clean up their act (because, to be frank, they don't), they get ready-to-use components that Microsoft is using itself on the Surface products and provide a certain baseline standard (security, UX, ...). The difficult part about firmware in general (hardware initialization) is…

>the messy parts of the UEFI ecosystem The jokes practically write themselves.

I'm looking forward to the "UEFI: The Good Parts" O'Reilly book.

Re: Project Mu – A modular UEFI environment for building modern devices

#13

Post by wmf »

bjt2n3904 wrote: post #10

If I were to build a "modern device", UEFI would be the last thing I'd want to put on it. I don't want to worry about exploits below ring 0 with a proprietary mess of binary blobs that lock me out of my own hardware.

Even "open source" firmware has the same blobs.

Re: Project Mu – A modular UEFI environment for building modern devices

#14

Post by spike021 »

sesellis wrote: post #4
twoquestions wrote: post #2

For those who are confused (as I was until a bit ago), this is for writing firmware.

I was confused as well, Project Mu to me is a Japanese car tuner: http://www.project-mu.co.jp/en/

Same here, was just about to comment on this.

Re: Project Mu – A modular UEFI environment for building modern devices

#15

Post by monocasa »

bjt2n3904 wrote: post #10

If I were to build a "modern device", UEFI would be the last thing I'd want to put on it. I don't want to worry about exploits below ring 0 with a proprietary mess of binary blobs that lock me out of my own hardware.

UEFI runs in ring 0, and it's pretty trivial to just not call it.

Re: Project Mu – A modular UEFI environment for building modern devices

#17

Post by MisterTea »

sam_bristow wrote: post #16
pgeorgi wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

s,book,leaflet,

Just a front and back cover and one page: [ this page intentionally left blank ]

Reminds me of the emacs man page in plan 9: http://man.cat-v.org/plan_9/1/emacs

Re: Project Mu – A modular UEFI environment for building modern devices

#18

Post by pgeorgi »

monocasa wrote: post #15
bjt2n3904 wrote: post #10

If I were to build a "modern device", UEFI would be the last thing I'd want to put on it. I don't want to worry about exploits below ring 0 with a proprietary mess of binary blobs that lock me out of my own hardware.

UEFI runs in ring 0, and it's pretty trivial to just not call it.

Except for the parts in SMM (often considered "ring -2", below virtualization) that are installed by UEFI to implement stuff like Authenticated Variables (the thing that makes UEFI Secure Boot work and requires a rather complete crypto library for it). See https://firmware.intel.com/sites/default/files/resources/A_T...

Re: Project Mu – A modular UEFI environment for building modern devices

#20

Post by monocasa »

pgeorgi wrote: post #18
monocasa wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

UEFI runs in ring 0, and it's pretty trivial to just not call it.

Except for the parts in SMM (often considered "ring -2", below virtualization) that are installed by UEFI to implement stuff like Authenticated Variables (the thing that makes UEFI Secure Boot work and requires a rather complete crypto library for it). See https://firmware.intel.com/sites/default/files/resources/A_T...

That's not really UEFI though per se. Having an oracle in SMM is one option, but sticking them in the Management Engine/PSP or an expanded TPM are other options.

And SMM is way older that UEFI. We'll almost certainly still have SMM after UEFI is gone.

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