[Freedombox-discuss] Without software collusion

freebirds at hushmail.com freebirds at hushmail.com
Thu Jun 28 19:33:19 UTC 2012


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Rick Hodgkin wrote: "This is what Intel's vPro theoretically can
do.  And I would not be surprised to learn that AMD has something
similar inside its chips."

As far as I could research, AMD does not have the equivalent of
vPRO. However, vPRO is mostly AMT. AMD does have a equivalent of
AMT which is DASH. Both AMT and DASH read computers PSN and connect
to them out of band. Both AMT and DASH can take complete control of
computers. I cited articles on this.

Nick Daly asked for an example of end-to-end chain that doesn't
require software collusion.

Earlier today, I briefly mentioned Intel vPRO and Absolute
Computrace preinstalled in the BIOS of Dell and Lenova. These
cannot be deleted from the BIOS. vPRO has its own UUID which is
visible. Lenova BIOS does give option of making vPRO's UUID visible
or to hide it.

I don't know whether Computrace uses the processor's PSN or if
Computrace has its own UUID. Hackers, investigators, government and
I read Nod32 antivirus activates Computrace. Dell automatically
updates the BIOS of older Dell notebooks that didn't have
Computrace preinstalled to now have Computrace.

Once Computrace is activated, Absolute refuses to deactivate it. I
have read that Nod32 activates Computrace. I have read posts of
users complaining that somehow Computrace was activated and their
data was being sent to Absolute. Computace has a key logger.
Absolute manufacturers Computrace. Computrace is not merely for
antitheft. Computrace can take photographs remotely and sent the
photos back to Computrace.

Nick Daly, you may say Intel vPRO and Computrace are software.
Since they are installed in the BIOS they are independent of OS. I
do not think they require a browser to function. Certainly, Intel
AMT and AMD DASH do not require a browser.
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