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SD Memory Card Formatter for Linux

sdcard.org

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Re: SD Memory Card Formatter for Linux

#41

Post by GauntletWizard »

sschueller wrote: post #29

I call bullshit, if performance was an issue the companies that make SD cards would have found a way to fix this in the firmware and not have to rely on an external formatting tool when almost every device with an SD slot has the ability to format an SD card.

This is what the S in SD stands for - "Secure Digital". SmartSD cards - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SD_card#smartSD_cards are actually the norm, because the simple spec is easy enough to add to the flash memory controller.

I know someone who worked on a weird SD-Card based "Video Rental" service[1][2] - The idea was that you'd bring your standard consumer SD card to a redbox-like kiosk, load some video onto it, and then be able to play it on their special but standard (integrated into smart tvs by Toshiba et al) video player, which would automatically self-destruct the encryption keys using that secure element.

[1] https://www.engadget.com/2010-12-08-mod-systems-download2go-...

[2] The far more interesting product of this company was all of the weird fraud that their founder was engaged in. https://www.geekwire.com/tag/mod-systems/

Re: SD Memory Card Formatter for Linux

#42

Post by squarefoot »

Hidden protected area in media + closed source software that writes it = potential tracking danger. I'm not implying anything, but putting those two things together could be dangerous.

Of course that should apply to all proprietary software accessing SD cards, therefore all phones, all cameras, etc; thankfully, being among the least reliable media out there for carrying files, and less practical than for example a USB connection or dongle, they're often restricted to the same hardware using them, as would be any potential tracking data.

Re: SD Memory Card Formatter for Linux

#43

Post by rbanffy »

RobotToaster wrote: post #31
ezconnect wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

SD Cards have computers inside of them. Security conscious users will be really worried using a blob for their stuff.

Are there any open source sd card firmwares? Would be an interesting project, I have no idea how you could reprogram them though.

Some manufacturers have proprietary undocumented APIs that allow the host to upgrade the firmware in the card, but I’m not sure every maker does, and very sure most wouldn’t bother to update their firmware unless some horrendous issue came up.

Re: SD Memory Card Formatter for Linux

#44

Post by rbanffy »

senko wrote: post #8
gdgghhhhh wrote: post #3

I fear it's closed source?

Is closed source not allowed for Linux? If you want an open source SD card formatter for Linux, you can mkfs.vfat /dev/mmcblk0 all day long, works just fine.

Would you entrust a software you can’t audit to format your computer’s disks?

Re: SD Memory Card Formatter for Linux

#45

Post by red_trumpet »

voytec wrote: post #38
mikae1 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The answer is in the third paragraph. > SD/SDHC/SDXC Cards have a “Protected Area” for SD Card security purposes. The SD Memory Card Formatter does not format the protected area in the SD/SDHC/SDXC Cards. The protected area shall be formatted by an appropriate PC application or SD host devices that provide SD security function.

If this "protected area" even exists [1], both dd(1) and this thing seem not to touch it. So no difference here. [1] Never heard of it and I've erased and recreated partition tables on SD cards multiple times with no "bricking"; maybe it's a feature of cards supplied with "encryption software"?

From [1]:

> Content Protection for Recordable Media (CPRM), the content protection technology used for SD standards, is key to enabling a distribution system for music, video, etc. CPRM provides a high level of protection against illegal copying.

Sounds like someone intended to sell movies on SD cards, replacing DVDs/bluerays.

[1] https://electronics.stackexchange.com/a/316421

Re: SD Memory Card Formatter for Linux

#46

Post by senko »

rbanffy wrote: post #44
senko wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is closed source not allowed for Linux? If you want an open source SD card formatter for Linux, you can mkfs.vfat /dev/mmcblk0 all day long, works just fine.

Would you entrust a software you can’t audit to format your computer’s disks?

People who use Windows or Mac do that all the time?

Re: SD Memory Card Formatter for Linux

#47

Post by voytec »

red_trumpet wrote: post #45
voytec wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If this "protected area" even exists [1], both dd(1) and this thing seem not to touch it. So no difference here. [1] Never heard of it and I've erased and recreated partition tables on SD cards multiple times with no "bricking"; maybe it's a feature of cards supplied with "encryption software"?

From [1]: > Content Protection for Recordable Media (CPRM), the content protection technology used for SD standards, is key to enabling a distribution system for music, video, etc. CPRM provides a high level of protection against illegal copying. Sounds like someone intended to sell movies on SD cards, replacing DVDs/bluerays. [1] https://electronics.stackexchange.com/a/316421

Ok. So this area has to be accessed by some special commands and is not exposed as part of a block device.

The "SD Memory Card Formatter for Linux" mentions this non sequitur seemingly to confuse users and cause FUD.

Re: SD Memory Card Formatter for Linux

#48

Post by GauntletWizard »

red_trumpet wrote: post #45
voytec wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If this "protected area" even exists [1], both dd(1) and this thing seem not to touch it. So no difference here. [1] Never heard of it and I've erased and recreated partition tables on SD cards multiple times with no "bricking"; maybe it's a feature of cards supplied with "encryption software"?

From [1]: > Content Protection for Recordable Media (CPRM), the content protection technology used for SD standards, is key to enabling a distribution system for music, video, etc. CPRM provides a high level of protection against illegal copying. Sounds like someone intended to sell movies on SD cards, replacing DVDs/bluerays. [1] https://electronics.stackexchange.com/a/316421

I've linked elsewhere: https://www.engadget.com/2010-12-08-mod-systems-download2go-...

Mod Systems was a Toshiba-funded "Video Rental on SD Cards" startup, whose primary product was a set of bizarre fraud cases.

Re: SD Memory Card Formatter for Linux

#49

Post by severino »

It'd be great if somebody with knowledge about this could make a benchmark comparing the performance after using this program versus using the standard tools like dd, mkfs, etc., using different parameters for things like the alignment (if that's possible at all using that tools).
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