Comment by pydry
1 month ago
I can. Purism and system76 disable the IME.
This is also a completely different threat model but whatever.
1 month ago
I can. Purism and system76 disable the IME.
This is also a completely different threat model but whatever.
I think they're using me_cleaner, which does appear to work, but using software to disable a hardware backdoor is inherently unreliable.
Either way this isnt a foundry covertly inserting a back door. It is a foundry openly inserting a back door and turning it into a feature.
A small country that imports these chips and wanted to protect its national security by providing "me disabled" chips wouldnt need a whole foundry of its own to turn it off or to verify that there isnt a "hidden" ME. The cost of this would probably run into low millions not billions.