Posted on 07/05/2016 7:32:33 PM PDT by Utilizer
PC giant Lenvo has launched an investigation with Intel to find out which of its suppliers introduced the recently-disclosed BIOS level "ThinkPwn" vulnerability that allows attackers to bypass hardware protections on the company's ThinkPad laptops and other computers.
Researcher Dmytro Oleksiuk discovered a flaw that allowed arbitrary code execution using the Intel system management mode (SMM) feature in processors.
The exploit is able to bypass the write protection in PCs' flash memory, and in turn disable the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Secure Boot, and the Windows 10 Enterprise Credentials Guard security feature.
Oleksiuk also found suspicious SMM code in the basic input/output system (BIOS) code that runs when computers start up, which he said may be a backdoor providing unauthorised access to vulnerable systems.
(Excerpt) Read more at itnews.com.au ...
What could go wrong?
They are built in China. You don’t suppose that is the source do you?
NSA....
Lenvo has launched an investigation with Intel”
Why?? Not necessary, just ask the NSA why they did it, but we know why they did it, and I would bet my last nickel that Intel was right there when it was done and gave them their blessing, for National Security reasons of course.
One could turn out to be one of the "servers" mrs bill used to store her emails. Then they would have no choice but to decide that it might be a problem and is certainly a concern, but there was "no intention" to cause harm so no charges will be brought against the source.
It's possible. Then again old BJ Clintoon sold them pounds of technology so there's no guessing what else has been backdoored.
Worse. Google.
Worse than rootware. Your Lenovo is now junk.
Or maybe Cankles is using one right now and Beijing is watching her type!
Why not just burn in the kernel and leave it be.
SMM is a very powerful feature.
I was on the team at Intel which got the first system using it back in I think ‘93
This would definitely be able to infiltrate computers bypassing all security measures.
SMM was originally designed as a power management interrupt to tell the system to begin shutting down/powering up.
All you need to do (if I remember correctly) is set the SMM to jump to hacked code, instead of power management code and it will do just about anything you want.
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