[Gideon7]

Thanks for Wikipedia ref on ME and AMT.

More from the article:

“As Intel has confirmed[44] the ME contains a switch to enable government authorities such as the NSA to make the ME go into High-Assurance Platform (HAP) mode after boot. This mode disables all of ME’s functions. It is authorized for use by government authorities only and is supposed to be available only in machines produced for them.”

Really? Why?

[dayglored]

>> ...It is authorized for use by government authorities only and is supposed to be available only in machines produced for them.”

> Really? Why?

Because goobermint agencies need REAL security so their activities are kept secret from anybody else. Don'tchaknow? "Government authorities" need to make sure the populace is unaware.

But you have no need to fear, Comrade Citizen. If you are doing nothing wrong, you are perfectly safe.

/tinfoilhat

Seriously, I imagine it's because high-security cleared machines aren't permitted to communicate over back channels.