From: tnp@invalid.invalid   
      
   On 12/02/2024 21:46, druck wrote:   
   > On 11/02/2024 14:52, The Natural Philosopher wrote:   
   >> I think that its pretty difficult to encode an invisible backdoor in   
   >> the silicon and not have it spotted at some fairly early stage.   
   >   
   > Then don't hide it, have it there in plain sight - like the Intel   
   > Management Engine, and the AMD equivalent.   
   >   
   >> So many of these 'threat narratives' are, when examined closely,   
   >> implausible to the point of downright impossibility.   
   >   
   > The more you examine details of the IME that we know about, the more   
   > worrying it gets. It's a CPU within CPU running closed software with   
   > higher privilege than main CPU, able to access all memory, any hardware   
   > and create its own network connections.   
   >   
   >> You can examine the machine code that your compiler and linker   
   >> assembles. And people do. I certainly have done. If it doesn't match   
   >> what you asked for in the high level language, there are questions to   
   >> be answered.   
   >   
   > You can look at the assembler of the main CPU as much as you like, but   
   > you've no idea what is running on the IME.   
   >   
   > Luckily ARM doesn't have a management engine - yet!   
   >   
   > ---druck   
      
   Indeed. CISC processors running microcode are definitely in the 'secret   
   software' class.   
   Which is the nice thing about ARM. Keep it simple and run it blazingly   
   fast. Although my friend who worked on the first chip at Acorn says it   
   is massively more complex today than the original incarnation.   
      
   But even microcode can be disassembled if you have the right kit and   
   skills...   
      
   --   
   "Corbyn talks about equality, justice, opportunity, health care, peace,   
   community, compassion, investment, security, housing...."   
   "What kind of person is not interested in those things?"   
      
   "Jeremy Corbyn?"   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)