The Secret CPU Inside Your Intel Processor

[ewmayer]

Intel x86s hide another CPU that can take over your machine (you can't audit it) / Boing Boing

[henryzz]

Publishing details about it sort of defeats the point.

[TObject]

Can we run an LL test on it?

[Uncwilly]

Originally Posted by TObject

Can we run an LL test on it?

[Dubslow]

This sort of thing has already been known for years, since at least 2013 I'm pretty sure. LibreBoot has been warning about this forever, but no one pays attention to the people with the tinfoil hats on their head (and rightfully so as the last few years have proven)...

[retina]

One of the manufacturers has a petition for an ME-less CPU.

https://puri.sm/posts/petition-for-i...ss-cpu-design/

[ATH]

The purpose of AMT is to provide a way to manage computers remotely (this is similar to an older system called "Intelligent Platform Management Interface" or IPMI, but more powerful).

So how do you use this processor for what it was intended?

[LaurV]

Originally Posted by ATH

So how do you use this processor for what it was intended?

You send commands to it, i.e. strings that hash and execute correctly internally after decrypted with its internal encryption key

[chris2be8]

I wonder if this could revive AMD's fortunes (assuming their CPUs don't do something similar)?

The way remote management tools ought to work is that you plug into a different network socket to access them. So if you can control physical access to your hardware you should be safe. But this assumes we know how it works.

Chris

[chris2be8]

the ME firmware is cryptographically protected with RSA 2048

Another thought, what will happen when quantum computers are available to break RSA 2048? Will all Intel CPUs have to be scrapped as impossible to secure? And if so will Intel have to pay for replacing them (using RSA 2048 when we know quantum computers are coming could be called negligence)?

Chris

[retina]

Originally Posted by chris2be8

Another thought, what will happen when quantum computers are available to break RSA 2048?

Then people will be able to sign their own code.

Originally Posted by chris2be8

Will all Intel CPUs have to be scrapped as impossible to secure?

No. People will be able to upload their own code and thus ensure their security is not being compromised.

Originally Posted by chris2be8

And if so will Intel have to pay for replacing them (using RSA 2048 when we know quantum computers are coming could be called negligence)?

QCs are not magic. And there is no known QC technology that comes anywhere near being able to handle 2048 bit RSA numbers. Maybe 3 or 4 bit RSA numbers could be vulnerable to a QC today.