
Ask HN: Which PC's BIOS is most resistant to rootkits? - cdvonstinkpot
Hi,<p>It&#x27;s become clear that both my HP PC&#x27;s have rootkits installed to their BIOS. I hear my upstairs neighbors reading off my screen regardless of what OS I install. I filed a Police report, &amp; a claim w&#x2F; my Renter&#x27;s insurance, but it doesn&#x27;t look like anything positive will happen- the PD hasn&#x27;t got back to me in a week, &amp; the claims adjuster said there&#x27;s not much that can be done since I don&#x27;t have ID Theft coverage.<p>I&#x27;m hoping the insurance claim will at least provide enough to get a new PC that&#x27;s not infected. Naturally, I&#x27;m thinking about what PC I can get that&#x27;ll be most resistant to re-infection.<p>Thus, I ask here- as my attackers watch my screen.
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beagle3
1\. Reading of the screen can be done in ways other than root kits, e.g.
TEMPEST[0], or a good enough strategically placed webcam, or a telescope
pointing at a window on a nearby building that functions as a mirror.

2\. BIOS rootkits are definitely possible, and quite scary. However, I have so
far not found any reliable documentation about them being found "in the wild"
\- does anyone else have any? (Yes, I am aware of the Snowden disclosures;
Yes, I've seen stuff like Thunderstrike in action; But these things, if/when
used, are extremely targeted. Is there a dependable writeup of a non-targeted
BIOS rootkit found in the wild?)

3\. If you don't know how you got infected, what makes you think a new PC will
solve the problem? PCs are programmable devices. No programmable device is
safe. There have been reports of malware hiding in GPU firmware, USB
controllers, SD cards and HDD / SSD controllers. The PC itself is just a small
part of the overall equation.

4\. Have you had a psychological or physiological crisis recently? Have you
done some known or unknown chemicals recently? uptake of cigarettes? Do you
have a history of schizophrenia in your family? It might be a good idea to
consult with a healthcare professional and tell them about what you are
experiencing.

[0]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_%28codename%29](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_%28codename%29)

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auganov
That situation sounds so weird :O I'm sure everyone would love more details?

Libreboot I assume is the least likely to be compromised? I don't know much
about it, I just trust Stallman to be the go-to person on such issues.
[https://stallman.org/stallman-computing.html](https://stallman.org/stallman-
computing.html)

Edit: Sorry, you asked about specific PCs. It seems as far as libreboot goes
you can only get one of the 10 supported laptops/boards.

------
nfriedly
I second the request for more details. How do you know it's your upstairs
neighbors? Have you asked them? How do you know that they're reading off of
your screen? If it is them, could they just be reading your screen through an
hole in your ceiling? What OS'es have you tried? Is there a possible other
explanation, such as screen reading software (e.g.jaws)?

