[Arm-netbook] Microsoft confirms UEFI fears, locks down ARM devices

[Alain Williams]

On Sat, Jan 14, 2012 at 05:19:04PM +0000, Luke Leighton wrote:
> On Sat, Jan 14, 2012 at 3:20 PM, Alain Williams <addw at phcomp.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> > MS have tried this before, google for the Fritz chip and palladium. It doesn't
> > seem to have gone very far.
> 
>  yeah but now it's a complete integrated situation: you *can't* break
> it.  the only way to "break" this is to literally steal the private
> key: that's the only method left to gain access and be able to sign
> alternative bootloaders etc.

That is roughtly what it did all those years ago. I'm not sure if there was
the ability to refuse to boot if signatures were not verified, but that would
have been a trivial addition:

	http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/06/28/ms_palladium_protects_it_vendors/

>  p.s. yes this could well end up in front of the monopolies and
> mergers commission.

Hopefully -- iff MS gets buy in from enough h/ware vendors.

-- 
Alain Williams
Linux/GNU Consultant - Mail systems, Web sites, Networking, Programmer, IT Lecturer.
+44 (0) 787 668 0256  http://www.phcomp.co.uk/
Parliament Hill Computers Ltd. Registration Information: http://www.phcomp.co.uk/contact.php
#include <std_disclaimer.h>