Secure Boot Isn't So Secure After All: The Golden Key Is Out

[kpedersen]

Now that this key is out, the Surface RT is now a pretty awesome bit of kit and I probably would have bought one new.

Microsoft are retarded for locking down Windows RT.

[rubdos]

Now that this key is out, the Surface RT is now a pretty awesome bit of kit and I probably would have bought one new.

Microsoft are retarded for locking down Windows RT.

Was thinking the same. Are there ARM/RT ThinkPads? Sounds like something cheap and durable for the better GNU/Linux work...

[nomadewolf]

Well when secureboot first came out it was accused of being some giant conspiracy to stop PCs from ever running Linux.
5 years later and dozens of easy successful Linux installs later [long before this hack was announced], that was obviously wrong.

As for preventing boot-level malware, well the vast majority of malware has no need to ever get that low-level in the first place, so we're not really any less secure in the real-world than before secureboot showed up.

In other news, I'd greatly like to see secureboot put onto every Android device in existence. I'd like the so-called "open" Android platform to be just as locked down as all those evil Microsoft PCs so I can actually put a real Linux distribution on it just like the supposedly "locked down" PCs.

Either secure boot brings more security, or it was in fact designed to lock Linux away.
Since even you recognise that the benefits in the security area are negligible...
And all the sucessfull Linux installs only prove on thing: the community was able to find and excellent solution to work around the problem!
If we look at the secure boot specifications we can easily see the intent:
.MS controls everything
.We pay MS to boot Linux
.Vague specifications about interface or mechanisms to disable/bypass this system
.Little security added
.And now, the master key is on the wild... which everyone knew it could happen

Just my two cents.

[waxhead]

Wow, no one saw that one coming.

And now for the serious part of this message. That linked site is terrible. It's really hard to read the whole thing when it's constantly moving. I get sick when trying to read in a moving car and the experience there was similar. Also, I'm glad modern browsers allow muting specific tabs.

Then select all + copy and save to mousepad or your favorite text editor....
BTW: A huge plus to that site for using the Amiga TOPAZ font that's great! Rock on or rock lobster for that matter (you must be an Amiga fan to understand)

[emblemparade]

OMG. Please warn people about sites that have automatic music playing!

[chithanh]

Now that this key is out, the Surface RT is now a pretty awesome bit of kit and I probably would have bought one new.

Tegra 3 with 10" 1366x768 screen? Not what I would call awesome.

Microsoft are retarded for locking down Windows RT.

I agree.

Was thinking the same. Are there ARM/RT ThinkPads? Sounds like something cheap and durable for the better GNU/Linux work...

The IdeaPad A10 is ARM based and comes with Android, and it can run Debian with some tinkering, but without having to defeat Secure Boot.

[GreenFireFly]

Well when secureboot first came out it was accused of being some giant conspiracy to stop PCs from ever running Linux.
5 years later and dozens of easy successful Linux installs later [long before this hack was announced], that was obviously wrong.

As for preventing boot-level malware, well the vast majority of malware has no need to ever get that low-level in the first place, so we're not really any less secure in the real-world than before secureboot showed up.

In other news, I'd greatly like to see secureboot put onto every Android device in existence. I'd like the so-called "open" Android platform to be just as locked down as all those evil Microsoft PCs so I can actually put a real Linux distribution on it just like the supposedly "locked down" PCs.

Conspiracy fact! Secure boot was meant to stop you from installing other operating systems. Here is a paragraph from microsof-secure-boot-key-
debacle.

This, in turn, allows someone with admin rights or an attacker with physical access to a machine not only to bypass Secure Boot and run any operating system they wish, such as Linux or Android, but also permits the installation and execution of bootkit and rootkits at the deepest level of the device, security researchers MY123 and Slipstream revealed in a blog post on Tuesday.

The full artcle can be found here.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-secure-boot-key-debacle-causes-security-panic/

[GreenFireFly]

Well when secureboot first came out it was accused of being some giant conspiracy to stop PCs from ever running Linux.
5 years later and dozens of easy successful Linux installs later [long before this hack was announced], that was obviously wrong.

As for preventing boot-level malware, well the vast majority of malware has no need to ever get that low-level in the first place, so we're not really any less secure in the real-world than before secureboot showed up.

In other news, I'd greatly like to see secureboot put onto every Android device in existence. I'd like the so-called "open" Android platform to be just as locked down as all those evil Microsoft PCs so I can actually put a real Linux distribution on it just like the supposedly "locked down" PCs.

Conspiracy Fact! Secure Boot was meant to stop you from installing other operating systems. This two paragraphs are from microsoft-secure-boot-key debacle.
The design flaw in the Windows operating system can be used to unlock Windows devices, including smartphones and tablets, which are otherwise protected by Secure Boot in order to run operating systems other than Windows on locked down systems.
This, in turn, allows someone with admin rights or an attacker with physical access to a machine not only to bypass Secure Boot and run any operating system they wish, such as Linux or Android, but also permits the installation and execution of bootkit and rootkits at the deepest level of the device, security researchers MY123 and Slipstream revealed in a blog post on Tuesday.

The full article can be found here.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-secure-boot-key-debacle-causes-security-panic/

[GreenFireFly]

Well when secureboot first came out it was accused of being some giant conspiracy to stop PCs from ever running Linux.
5 years later and dozens of easy successful Linux installs later [long before this hack was announced], that was obviously wrong.

As for preventing boot-level malware, well the vast majority of malware has no need to ever get that low-level in the first place, so we're not really any less secure in the real-world than before secureboot showed up.

In other news, I'd greatly like to see secureboot put onto every Android device in existence. I'd like the so-called "open" Android platform to be just as locked down as all those evil Microsoft PCs so I can actually put a real Linux distribution on it just like the supposedly "locked down" PCs.

Conspiracy Fact! Secure Boot was meant to stop you from installing other operating systems. This two paragraphs are from microsoft-secure-boot-key
debacle.

The design flaw in the Windows operating system can be used to unlock Windows devices, including smartphones and tablets, which are otherwise protected by Secure Boot in order to run operating systems other than Windows on locked down systems.

This, in turn, allows someone with admin rights or an attacker with physical access to a machine not only to bypass Secure Boot and run any operating system they wish, such as Linux or Android, but also permits the installation and execution of bootkit and rootkits at the deepest level of the device, security researchers MY123 and Slipstream revealed in a blog post on Tuesday.

The full article can be found here.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-secure-boot-key-debacle-causes-security-panic/

[GreenFireFly]

@Chukula Conspiracy Fact! Secure Boot was meant to stop you from installing other operating systems. This two paragraphs are from microsoft-secure-boot-key debacle.

The design flaw in the Windows operating system can be used to unlock Windows devices, including smartphones and tablets, which are otherwise protected by Secure Boot in order to run operating systems other than Windows on locked down systems.

This, in turn, allows someone with admin rights or an attacker with physical access to a machine not only to bypass Secure Boot and run any operating system they wish, such as Linux or Android, but also permits the installation and execution of bootkit and rootkits at the deepest level of the device, security researchers MY123 and Slipstream revealed in a blog post on Tuesday.

The full article can be found here.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-secure-boot-key-debacle-causes-security-panic/