
Disabling Intel ME on Boot Guard Computers - gnustomp
https://gnustomp.com/posts/disabling-intel-me-on-boot-guard-computers/
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userbinator
From the recent articles, it looks like disabling Intel ME is now the "new
jailbreaking" \--- something which the corporations are very much against, but
which can have benefits for users. Boot Guard is just another in a long line
of many features advertised for security but really for maintaining control
over users.

It's sad that this battle is now taking place on the once-open PC; but given
that Intel has been shown to change direction from intense negative
backlash[1], maybe if everyone opposes, they will stop locking down the
platform further. The problem is that there is now an IMHO extremely
authoritarian "security industry" heavily advocating for these user-offensive
features. (And opposing them causes you to be called a terrorist, pirate, or
worse.)

[1]
[http://archive.wired.com/politics/law/news/1999/01/17513](http://archive.wired.com/politics/law/news/1999/01/17513)

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ouid
I've never been persecuted in the manner you describe. No one has called ever
called me a terrorist or a pirate or worse. These anti-competitive strategies
like bootlocking, and the sandboxed OS have been marketed, quite successfully,
as protecting the privacy of their users. Most people go along with this crap
out of fear, I wager.

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danjoc
>ME "disabling" by HAP is not a cure

[https://mobile.twitter.com/rootkovska/status/938458875522666...](https://mobile.twitter.com/rootkovska/status/938458875522666497)

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slipstream-
That bug described requires modifying the ME firmware image, which Boot Guard
prevents...

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mjg59
Boot Guard is implemented by the ME, in part of the code that still runs in
HAP mode. But, crucially, the buffer overflow described there occurs _before_
Boot Guard runs.

~~~
slipstream-
Huh. I assumed Boot Guard was a thing that happened in the IntelME bootrom.

I guess I'm too used to similar things in game consoles.

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luckydude
Doesn't ME also control processor speed? What happens to your battery life
under Linux once ME is turned off?

~~~
craftyguy
It's a black box, but I don't think anyone has reported what you describe?
Purism has been shipping laptops for a few weeks with the IME disabled, and
their touted battery life seems reasonable.

