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Lenovo laptops

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PiersFromKent

PiersFromKent Report 20 Feb 2015 10:34

There's an article in the Mail about this

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2960608/Are-threat-Superfish-attack-Lenovo-PCs-adware-horrifically-dangerous-security-flaw.html

RolloTheRed

RolloTheRed Report 20 Feb 2015 10:09

And so it goes on ... this time NASA/GCHQ have nicked all the SIM card keys.

https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/02/19/great-sim-heist/

FYI modern SATA hard drives and SSDs have a key built into the embedded software on the HD. This is usually enabled on laptops sometimes on desktops.On boot the computer bios presents key credentials to the hard drive. Whatever software is in the HD eprom/prom there is no way it can be removed with the usual methods. If you have reason to suspect the HD then replacing it with another from a trusted source is the only way.

However given that NSA also implants stuff into the firmware it is not easy. Even if you have the tools for a SATA low level format the HD will reinfect the system regardless of OS. The NSA can also implant code to deal with "air gapped" systems which are supposedly offline. Stuxnet got going in that way.

The problem with advanced data acquisition techniques used by NSA CIA GCHQ etc is that they invariably leak to organised crime over time. In the case of the Intercept SIM crack this is of real concern given that the crack took place in Mexico where the drug barons are a force to be reckoned with.

ab abusu ad usum non valet consequentia

Researching:
The Man In the High Castle

eRRolSheep

eRRolSheep Report 19 Feb 2015 19:14

Oooooooh, well, surely people, companies, governments would never EVER do a thing such as that !

Fancy duping people - does that really happen?

Incidentally, I bought a couple of new laptops last week and guess what I did first...

Yep. Spot on. Removed all the bloatware, adware, spyware etc etc.

Took blooming ages on one and far less time for the other (from a more reputable, company and source but not naming names for either) but everyone should do that with a new computer.

I love the naive way many people think that their shiny new computer is totally locked down and safe. lolololol

Cheers for the heads up Rollo.

Researching:
Happy

RolloTheRed

RolloTheRed Report 19 Feb 2015 17:02

what you need to know

http://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/security-data-protection/superfish-lenovo-adware-faq/

Researching:
The Man In the High Castle

RolloTheRed

RolloTheRed Report 19 Feb 2015 15:20

Well what a surprise (not)

http://goo.gl/28uoyE

I wonder what Huweii are installing on all the telecoms kit they are supplying to BT OpenReach?

Researching:
The Man In the High Castle