UEFI Secure Boot and Linux: Where Things Stand

itwbennett writes "Assuming that Microsoft doesn't choose to implement Secure Boot in the ways that the Linux Foundation says would work with Linux, there 'will be no easy way to run Linux on Windows 8 PCs,' writes Steven Vaughan-Nichols. Instead, we're faced with three different, highly imperfect approaches: Approach #1: Create UEFI Secure Boot keys for your particular distribution, like Canonical is doing with Ubuntu. Approach #2: work with Microsoft's key signing service to create a Windows 8 system compatible UEFI secure boot key, like Red Hat is doing with Fedora." itwbennet finishes with: "Approach #3: Use open hardware with open source software, an approach favored by ZaReason CEO Cathy Malmrose." When you can't even use a GPLv3 licensed bootloader to boot your system, you might have a problem. Why is everyone so quick to accept the corpse of TCPA in new clothes?

Comments

Aproach #4

[sapgau]

Lawsuit?

Secure Boot won't catch on

[billcopc]

Approach #4: ignore UEFI Secure Boot. It's a blunt solution to an obscure problem. More importantly, it's such a huge pain in the ass, not just for Linux but for ALL system integrators, that anyone actually preventing the user from disabling Secure Boot will end up limiting their own marketability. Two things will happen:

1. It will be relegated to tiny niches where security trumps usability
2. It will be cracked

This is not an either/or. Both things will happen. This whole fiasco is nothing but a huge waste of time for everyone involved.

Re:Secure Boot won't catch on

[FranTaylor]

We used to call them "general purpose computers"

We dropped the "general purpose" part at some point, because it seemed redundant at the time.

Now maybe we need to bring back this term.

These machines you are talking about are not "general purpose" computers at all.

It once again goes to show that the Microsoft slogan is "Where do you want to be taken today"

Re:Secure Boot won't catch on

[Thantik]

PS3s only took about 5 months to be cracked. They were initially untouched because they provided people what they wanted: The ability to boot linux. Once the feature was taken away, it was cracked in very little time at all.

And the new PS3s are "immune" not due to anything other than harassment of GeoHot by sony. We'll never know if this is true though, because he's barred from ever touching anything branded by Sony ever again.

And pretty much all Android phones have the bootloaders completely bypassed with 2ndinit.

Satellite, you've got me on, because I haven't had any interest in.

Re:Approach no. 4 - Do nothing

[jkrise]

More than XP, I am thinking different flavours of Windows 8. System admins need to wipe off the OEM stuff and install their Enterprise License stuff on new kit. That could be a different flavour of 8 or earlier versions of the OS as well. If they can't do it, they will simply ignore Windows 8 and wait for the next version that removes the restriction of Secure Boot.

Re:Approach no. 4 File complaint to D.O.J.

[Anonymous Coward]

If this is not an example of Microsoft's monopolistic practices i don't know what is.

Windows 8 is not going enterprise and OEM's

[Joe_Dragon]

Windows 8 is not going enterprise and OEM's need to not lock out XP / Windows 7 as they will lose the enterprise market if they do so.

the MB makers likely will not want to go windows 8 only.

Re:Approach no. 4 - Do nothing

[Billly Gates]

People are not as productive with XP/2003 and I dispute that claim. When you have computers that take 8 minutes to be responsive to start up, or inactive for 3 hours every Tuesday due to McCrappy doing a scan limiting 1 app open at a time, can't find files in a share with 10,000 files, help desk putting out fired with rootkits and viruses all day that eats up into productivity.

Sure your friendly beancounter accountant only looks at cost but it is always assumed workers are just as productive regardless of time and equipment.

A modern Windows 7 environment you have instant search and can find things like Acme corp sales distribtion 2008 within seconds! The calls for malware go down in half. Your systems do not have Windows rot and get all sluggish. To boot your computers go into sleep mode and you can save millions or at least hundreds of thousands in energy costs.

Your workers can use more functions in Office they didn't know where there either. Sorry ribbon haters but studies show otherwise and after 1 month of using it you will not want to go back. I can just use my keyboard now with Win 7/Office 2010 and hardly use the mouse as much with instant search and the using the numbering shortcuts with the ribbons. It rocks on a laptop too.

Your workers will be spending more time working and getting things down. You really need to sell yourself better at work rather than kiss up with the cost accountants.