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About 15 Percent of US Agencies Detected Kaspersky Software on Networks (reuters.com)

Dustin Volz, reporting for Reuters: About 15 percent of U.S. federal agencies have reported some trace of Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab software on their systems, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official told Congress on Tuesday. Jeanette Manfra, assistant secretary for cyber security at DHS, told a U.S. House of Representatives panel that 94 percent of agencies had responded to a directive ordering them to survey their networks to identify any use of Kaspersky Lab products and to remove them. But Manfra said DHS did "not currently have conclusive evidence" that any networks had been breached due to their use of Kaspersky Lab software. The administration of President Donald Trump ordered civilian U.S. agencies in September to remove Kaspersky Lab from their networks, amid worries the antivirus firm was vulnerable to Kremlin influence and that using its anti-virus software could jeopardize national security.

81 comments

  1. kapersky is in ur base hacking ur d00ds by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    While its certainly true that we need to worry about these Russian products, the damage that the NSA has done is enormous.

    Can I trust Cisco VPNs? Can I trust Windows? Can I trust my router? The NSA opens boxes in shipment to break their security, and they have the resources to do a lot more.

    Unfortunately for us in the U.S., the NSA threat is a real one, not a hypothetical.

    And a question for the people who know more than me: is there any IT vendor who hasn't been corrupted by the NSA, the Russians or the Chinese?

    1. Re: kapersky is in ur base hacking ur d00ds by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Can you trust Intel or AMD processors, regardless of what operating system you are running?

    2. Re:kapersky is in ur base hacking ur d00ds by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      If you ever come across a piece of hardware that is sticky and smells like maple syrup, you can be assured it has not been hacked by Canada. We swear!

    3. Re:kapersky is in ur base hacking ur d00ds by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      I think the only secure systems are old computers from the 16-bit and 32-bit era, something with the OS in ROM and thus cannot be modified.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    4. Re: kapersky is in ur base hacking ur d00ds by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      I think we can trust pre-ME and pre-PSP processors, maybe.

      Another solution is building a system with older parts. Was there ever any security concerns with, say, VIA processors such as the C3?

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    5. Re: kapersky is in ur base hacking ur d00ds by halivar · · Score: 1

      This, folks, is why the only processor you can truly trust is the Cyrix 6x86(tm). It's Born to Run.

    6. Re:kapersky is in ur base hacking ur d00ds by sit1963nz · · Score: 1

      During shipment.
      Unsolder ROM, solder is new ROM.

      There you go, hacked. It is what is rumoured to have been done with Cisco gear heading to countries the US wanted to spy on.

      And now that modern CPUs from Intel are running MINIX to run the microcode, you simply no longer know what is happening.

    7. Re:kapersky is in ur base hacking ur d00ds by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      That kind of shit probably did not happen in the Amiga and Atari ST era, though.

      And if you want, nothing prevents you from removing the ROM (which was socketed at the time) and write the OS to a new blank chip.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    8. Re:kapersky is in ur base hacking ur d00ds by sit1963nz · · Score: 1

      LOL, I started with CPM2.2, no such thing as multitasking here, nor networking (unless you include sneaker net).

      I still have my Kaypro 4, and all these snow flakes complain about how heavy their laptop is today....

    9. Re: kapersky is in ur base hacking ur d00ds by F.Ultra · · Score: 2

      You could replace every ROM function from RAM on the Amiga. That was one of the benefits of the system.

    10. Re: kapersky is in ur base hacking ur d00ds by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      I'm listening, but I'm not quite to the point of pulling out that old motherboard and buying a new CPU fan!

  2. Trump will ask the KGB and take their word by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The KGB is insulted by the notion that they would meddle in foreign networks! Trump is right to offer them conciliatory blowjobs instead.

  3. Review by Independent Party by Infiniti2000 · · Score: 1

    Kaspersky is offering up the code for review by an independent party. Okay, and I'm sure that the installer is 100% in compliance with the reviewed code.

    1. Re:Review by Independent Party by green1 · · Score: 1

      That part is at least easy to figure out. If you review the code, and then compile it, it should be identical to the application that they supply. If it isn't, than you're not reviewing the same code that is being shipped, or your compiler isn't the same as their compiler.

    2. Re:Review by Independent Party by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I can tell you've never tried this using a modern build system...

      Let me fill you in on a nasty little secret, where the code may be exactly the same, the compiled and linked object may differ between builds due to time stamps and other things that may change between build runs. Yea, the compiler *may* actually generate the same object files, sometimes they don't...

      Of course, this is NOT a universal rule, but as a rule of thumb is generally true. One build will not checksum the same as the next...

    3. Re: Review by Independent Party by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

      If only some on had thought about this: https://wiki.debian.org/Reprod... , yes it's not 100% there yet but it's closing.

    4. Re: Review by Independent Party by EndlessNameless · · Score: 1

      It doesn't matter that Debian is doing it.

      If Kaspersky (or any proprietary shop) does not follow a similar scheme, their code audits mean very little. Kaspersky could start following a reproducible build process for the future, but it won't help us verify that their current code and executables are the same.

      --

      ---
      According to the latest ruleset, this post should be modded as Vorpal Flamebait +5.
  4. Time to start using Karspersky by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think there is more to the story than meets the eye....

    Maybe karspersky has become too effective at capturing and stop NSA's malware and spy tools.

    1. Re:Time to start using Karspersky by postbigbang · · Score: 2

      Disinformation. Nice try.

      --
      ---- Teach Peace. It's Cheaper Than War.
    2. Re:Time to start using Karspersky by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      FAKE POST!

    3. Re:Time to start using Karspersky by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      1+. Help find the next Stuxnet, Equation Group or Duqu.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
      For all the code litter found by experts how much is the US rediscovering its own use of Honeycomb, Hive. From fake news to fake cyber code litter.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    4. Re: Time to start using Karspersky by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Before 2016: "CIA lied people died" "NSA is Big Brother and an apparatus of the state trustno1"

      After 2016: "OMG trump criticized the intelligence community. WTF I believe everything the CIA and NSA says now"

    5. Re:Time to start using Karspersky by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      just an opinion.....

      there is little information on Slashdot.... we all have opinions... and that is mine.

      I don't use antivirus nore care about Karspersky, but to me, we need to look at what evidence there is and the actual motivation of the USA Gov doing this withc hunt....

    6. Re: Time to start using Karspersky by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You definitely should use it, dude.

    7. Re:Time to start using Karspersky by EndlessNameless · · Score: 1

      Maybe karspersky has become too effective at capturing and stop NSA's malware and spy tools.

      Malware developers maintain updated versions of popular security suites, and they make sure their payloads are not detected prior to release. This is fairly well known.

      Lone-wolf coders were doing this 10-20 years ago. I'm sure the global intelligence agencies can figure out how to spin up a bunch of VMs to test their tools.

      Kaspersky is not special or notable in this regard.

      --

      ---
      According to the latest ruleset, this post should be modded as Vorpal Flamebait +5.
  5. Sensationalization by InfiniteBlaze · · Score: 1

    Perform a mass uninstall of Symantec products and see how many remnants are left. It's not uncommon for software to leave behind traces when it's removed. This is based on 20 years of experience...I've seen it countless times.

    1. Re: Sensationalization by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ayyyyyy, Joey Buttafuco over hereeeeeeeee

  6. CIA impersonated Kaspersky? by Mr307 · · Score: 1

    http://www.securityweek.com/wi...

    If we did a fair comparison of who has broken more 'trust', I wonder who would come out on top. I dont recall the last time the 'am I secure' landscape looked so uncertain.

    1. Re:CIA impersonated Kaspersky? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How can they have a certificate that pretends to have been signed by Thawte? Doesn't that mean that Thawte's signing key has been compromised? That seems like it should be bigger news than almost not getting mentioned at all

  7. I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by mysidia · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Sorry, but all evidence shown so far seems to indicate Kaspersky software works just fine, Not caused system compromises, AND
    any case where Kaspersky "exposed" or "leaked" secret files were Kaspersky working like it's supposed to --- not Kaspersky violating any privacy expectations; you
    just don't get to run "secret" potentially-malicious programs on desktop computers without the possibility of malware samples of your suspicious code going to the AV vendor for analysis.... I can accept that, and I think most people SHOULD accept that with zero objections.

    1. Re:I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sorry, but all evidence shown so far seems to indicate Kaspersky software works just fine, Not caused system compromises, AND
      any case where Kaspersky "exposed" or "leaked" secret files were Kaspersky working like it's supposed to --- not Kaspersky violating any privacy expectations; you
      just don't get to run "secret" potentially-malicious programs on desktop computers without the possibility of malware samples of your suspicious code going to the AV vendor for analysis.... I can accept that, and I think most people SHOULD accept that with zero objections.

      This is all simply a dog-and-pony show to distract the US population from the extensive list of treasonous & criminal acts by the DNC, Obama, and the Clintons which the corrupt 'deep state' DoJ refuses to prosecute, revealed in the emails published on Wikileaks.

    2. Re:I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sorry, but all evidence shown so far seems to indicate Kaspersky software works just fine, Not caused system compromises, AND
      any case where Kaspersky "exposed" or "leaked" secret files were Kaspersky working like it's supposed to --- not Kaspersky violating any privacy expectations; you
      just don't get to run "secret" potentially-malicious programs on desktop computers without the possibility of malware samples of your suspicious code going to the AV vendor for analysis.... I can accept that, and I think most people SHOULD accept that with zero objections.

      Oh?

    3. Re:I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sorry, but all evidence shown so far seems to indicate Kaspersky software works just fine, Not caused system compromises, AND any case where Kaspersky "exposed" or "leaked" secret files were Kaspersky working like it's supposed to --- not Kaspersky violating any privacy expectations; you just don't get to run "secret" potentially-malicious programs on desktop computers without the possibility of malware samples of your suspicious code going to the AV vendor for analysis.... I can accept that, and I think most people SHOULD accept that with zero objections.

      This is all simply a dog-and-pony show to distract the US population from the extensive list of treasonous & criminal acts by the DNC, Obama, and the Clintons which the corrupt 'deep state' DoJ refuses to prosecute, revealed in the emails published on Wikileaks.

      BS... And I'd vote for Trump AGAIN...

      This is what they claim, a decision to eliminate the risk of hacking by a foreign power by not approving a foreign company's products for use on government systems. It's not a diversion tactic. It may be a bit heavy handed and ill-advised, but it is what they claim it is.

    4. Re:I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Two words:

      "Uranium One"

      There's your Russian collusion/influence.

    5. Re:I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by h4ck7h3p14n37 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      From what I've read, this whole thing got started when an NSA contractor downloaded files to a personal computer that also had Kaspersky AV running. Kaspersky did its job and identified the malware the contractor was working on and sent the files away for analysis. There have been allegations that Kaspersky was scanning for files containing certain words, but I haven't seen any evidence of that put forward.

      It might make sense for Federal computers not to run any software that hasn't been vetted, but what about the hardware the software is running on? Why do these agencies that don't trust Kaspersky trust their Chinese made computers and phones?

    6. Re:I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      all evidence shown so far seems to indicate ... and I think most people SHOULD accept that with zero objections.

      Idiot detected! See, that's me giving you the benefit of the doubt that you're not acting maliciously!

    7. Re:I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      What happens if they appoint a Special Council and then have to admit to the world that it is legal for government officials to encourage other governments to give to charity. What then?!

      This is the stupidest sort of accusation; the sort that if true, only proves somebody did some good in the world by forcing bad people to give to charity.

      There is no accusation in the accusation!

    8. Re:I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yup agreed. Its all a witch hunt by the failed Democrats/Oligarchy asshats who backed Hillary. They are smarting so hard and doing anything the can to smear Trump because their Gangster/Paedophile bosses are not happy about the loss.

    9. Re:I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by Billly+Gates · · Score: 1

      Sorry, but all evidence shown so far seems to indicate Kaspersky software works just fine, Not caused system compromises, AND
      any case where Kaspersky "exposed" or "leaked" secret files were Kaspersky working like it's supposed to --- not Kaspersky violating any privacy expectations; you
      just don't get to run "secret" potentially-malicious programs on desktop computers without the possibility of malware samples of your suspicious code going to the AV vendor for analysis.... I can accept that, and I think most people SHOULD accept that with zero objections.

      Yep all a vast liberal conspiracy with 0 evidence from other parties that Russian intelligence has been using Kaspersky at all because Trump has an R next so any negative news must be by the democrats.

    10. Re:I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by Billly+Gates · · Score: 1

      Sorry, but all evidence shown so far seems to indicate Kaspersky software works just fine, Not caused system compromises, AND
      any case where Kaspersky "exposed" or "leaked" secret files were Kaspersky working like it's supposed to --- not Kaspersky violating any privacy expectations; you
      just don't get to run "secret" potentially-malicious programs on desktop computers without the possibility of malware samples of your suspicious code going to the AV vendor for analysis.... I can accept that, and I think most people SHOULD accept that with zero objections.

      Yep all a vast liberal conspiracy with 0 evidence from other parties that Russian intelligence has been using Kaspersky at all because Trump has an R next so any negative news must be by the democrats.

      It is not like a foreign independent intelligence agency found any proof of this at all.

    11. Re:I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Going by what the US Govt said other countries were doing before the Snowden leak, and what the leak later revealed (i.e. the US did exactly what they accused others did), I would suspect AV products coming from US companies like Symantec before I suspect Kaspersky.

    12. Re:I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by mysidia · · Score: 1

      the computer code it uses for such spying

      Like I said. Antivirus software detecting malicious binary software code payloads used for spying and doing exactly what it should do --- submit samples to HQ for analysis --- doesn't matter that the malware executables were confidential NSA materials.

    13. Re:I reject this anti-Kaspersky sentiment by aumas · · Score: 1

      Conspiracy theory: Kaspersky won't work with the Russian Government so the Russians lobbied the US Government to kill it.

  8. More Russian crap by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Pollution is all they produce well.

    1. Re:More Russian crap by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      BS..

      The Russians are as capable as anybody and are really quite clever. You'd do well to not underestimate them. Where they fall short is in economic ability which is a product of generations of communism. They simply cannot support the military industrial complex with their struggling economy that the west can manage. They literally lost the arms race, not because of technical ability, but because of shear volume and pace of technical innovation out stripped their ability to fund the development and production of capable arms in sufficient quantity to achieve and maintain parity.

    2. Re:More Russian crap by Aighearach · · Score: 0

      They also export a lot of unmarried women, and bitch plywood. "Baltic" birch is code for "imported" birch, it is mostly from Russia.

      The also export a lot of vodka. The quality sucks, but casual drinkers assume it is just a "genuine" flavor, and not the result of any lack of QA.

      They're also a world leader in vacuum amplifier tubes. China is starting to take over both the high end and low end market segments, but Russia is still the king of "tube amplifiers that sound like genuine Soviet amplifiers from the 1960s." This is very important to Punk Rock snobs who insist that their low-fi sound like shit entirely because of the expensive retro analog gear and not from just fucking up the mixer settings the easy way.

  9. VIA C3 problems: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Limited availability in Socket 370. Half speed FPU, not fixed until the C7. Single Core.

    At this point in time, the best options are ARM SBCs and certain well designed network appliances without TrustZone support included/enabled. And ONLY as long as physical security is maintained at all times.

    The real solution at this point would be taping out new processors and motherboard chipsets, then using those to produce new open hardware/'socialized' computing platforms. Depending on the legal issues, Super Socket 7+SDRAM+IDE+multibus PCI with 64 bit BAR support would be the first and almost completely patent (but not trademark and copyright) free solution. This would limit systems to 2-4 gigs of ram and some other issues, but could work with single socket multicore processors and leave open opportunities for alternative northbridge/southbridge chipsets including different bus options. Super Socket 7 had headroom left when AMD abandoned it for their/DEC's own Slot A/Socket A, another potential socket that could handle faster bus speeds, but one whose sockets would be more difficult to source (SS7 sockets can still be found relatively cheaply from at least a few locations, possibly even still being produced.)

  10. have they removed all trace of Trump yet? by swschrad · · Score: 1

    much more dangerous

    --
    if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
    1. Re:have they removed all trace of Trump yet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let me guess: according to the same sources that scream about "Russians in muh Googlebox!" all day?

    2. Re:have they removed all trace of Trump yet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then they go and kiss the Bernie poster they have on their bedroom wall.

  11. AV software detections by sinij · · Score: 1

    Warning! AV software detected multiple instances of infections with AV software.

    Would you like to:
    a) install additional AV software to help clean AV infection from your PC
    b) quarantine other AV software
    c) (not recommended) do nothing.

    1. Re:AV software detections by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      I'll take
      D) install *nix and move security monitoring to the network

  12. Anti-Russia hysterics are a mental disorder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Who actually believes this rabid anti-Russia crap?

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-09/wikileaks-publishes-cia-hacking-tool-designed-impersonate-russias-kaspersky-lab

    Are we living in the Red Scare again? Are we going to start burning Dostoyevsky books? Will we round up all the Siberian huskies and throw them in the furnace?

    1. Re: Anti-Russia hysterics are a mental disorder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I too am the American and agree this is which hunt against most powerful and handsome president Putin. Shame on America's liberals!

    2. Re:Anti-Russia hysterics are a mental disorder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey, Ivan. We know you run disinformation campaigns.

      Keep up the hard work, stay out of the gulag!

  13. Witch hunt! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I am American and even I know that USA is worse at hacking all other countries than anyone else! USA is very very bad country, the worst. Kaspersky is innocent Russian company cought up in Democrat liberal ANTIFA terror campaign.

    1. Re:Witch hunt! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Note for your future Putin-trolling. Americans don't call it USA outside of very few specific contexts. It is generally just US.

    2. Re:Witch hunt! by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      It is generally just you? What?

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    3. Re:Witch hunt! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You might like to brush up on your English skills if you want to be a successful troll.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    4. Re:Witch hunt! by anegg · · Score: 1

      Woosh...

    5. Re:Witch hunt! by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      The actual problem that Americans would notice is that in the above usage it should be The USA. In both cases.

    6. Re: Witch hunt! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bad news for you some americans like me don't write English perfect, but just believe I am Russian instead like the dumbocrat that u r.

  14. Re: I found that the other day too & thoughts. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Faster != secure.

    But you knew that. Another worthless APK post.

  15. Deceptive and dishonest wording by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    the wording of the article suggests that Kaspersky is malware, while in fact it's in the top 3 as far as competency goes in this field. Perhaps that's why it can't be allowed in American systems -- because a foreign AV suite can't be subverted as easily as the disgraced McAffee and others..

  16. How can they tell it's Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab by najajomo · · Score: 1

    "About 15 percent of U.S. federal agencies have reported some trace of Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab software on their systems"

    How can they tell they're not detecting forged CIA digital certs. I figure Kaspersky is the only security company that hasn't been compromised by the US security apparatus.

  17. Update Servers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They "traced" the connections to the update servers, nothing more.

  18. I found that too & my thoughts? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: It's outright DISGRACEFUL - dirty, low, bogus & took some REAL scumbags @ the CIA to pull that rabbit out of their hats. Nice part is, they only ended up shitting ALL OVER THEMSELVES - period.

    * When I read it I was like "Who the heck can you trust from our OWN nation's security agencies if they're willing to pull THAT kind of crap?"

    (The man who built that program had his life & DREAMS into it - & did a good program! They'd shit on someone like that?? Makes me angry... & ashamed of my nation!)

    APK

    P.S.=> Seriously unbelievable (What's making me feel BETTER though? FireFox QUANTUM - it truly IS faster & so far?? I LIKE IT!)... apk

  19. My own work speeds up + secures me more by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-7 32/64-bit https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=&bih=&q=%22APK+Hosts+File+Engine%22+and+%22start64%22&btnG=Google+Search&gbv=1/

    Ads/script/malware rob speed/security/privacy/bandwidth.

    Hosts add speed (via hardcodes/adblocks), security (vs. bad sites/malware/poisoned dns), reliability (vs. dns down), & anonymity (vs. dns requestlogs/trackers).

    Less power/cpu/ram + IO use vs. DNS/routers/addons/antivirus + less security bugs/complexity & faster vs. addons/routers/remote dns!

    Avoids DNSChangers in routers/IP settings & dns redirect (99++% of ISP DNS != patched vs. it) + DNS tracking & lighten DNS load & resolve faster from local RAM!

    * Via what u NATIVELY have in a FASTER kernelmode IP stack (doing more for less)!

    APK

    P.S. - Safe https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/e01211ca36aa02e923f20adee0a3c4f5d5187dc65bdf1c997b3da3c2b0745425/analysis/1433430542/ (self checking code vs. infection of it built-in)

  20. I removed Kaspersky based on their comments by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It removed Kaspersky because of their comment about pulling photos of an alleged hacker from his PC.

    To trust them, I would have to accept that they built in the ability to pull any file from a PC using their anti virus and yet would never use it against anyone but this hacker.

    That's a ridiculous call to make.

    So I removed their software.

    1. Re:I removed Kaspersky based on their comments by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's the way antivirus works; it sends suspicious stuff to HQ for analysis. I think any antivirus that relied solely on downloaded virus sample databases went out of production long ago.
      In your case, you should not use any antivirus at all.

    2. Re:I removed Kaspersky based on their comments by EndlessNameless · · Score: 1

      You can typically disable this functionality.

      In fact, it is necessary to disable it in some regulated environments.

      --

      ---
      According to the latest ruleset, this post should be modded as Vorpal Flamebait +5.
  21. Re:How can they tell it's Moscow-based Kaspersky L by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Thats why I create Kaspersky.txt and rename it exe and have it on my work desktop. Make sure it is zero bytes long.
    Dumb audit scanners are just that - I live for false positives. Add in some ACL's for no access.
    Tricks like this mean companies like Or**** charge the ex-employer for a few thousand extra licenses on an 'Audit' because the place runs on technicians

  22. Not CPU, the chipset. by DrYak · · Score: 1

    And now that modern CPUs from Intel are running MINIX to run the microcode, you simply no longer know what is happening.

    Technically, Intel ME, (and IPMI) run on a separate core inside the chipset.
    You can power off your CPU, lights-out management is still running (that's the whole point of the thing, so the IT department in your business can admin the desktops remotely without even needing to turn them on).

    --
    "Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
    1. Re:Not CPU, the chipset. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You mean the separate ARM cpu (on each x86 machine) to administer any machines remotely is an improvement over Wakej-on-LAN? Wake-On-LAN have that capability too.

  23. Replace Krapersky by MoarSauce123 · · Score: 1

    There are far more compelling reasons to replace Krapersky. The biggest one is that it is a total system performance killer. With Krapersky installed it is about the same as not turning the box on. It's a shit product and only gained popularity with corporations and organizations because it bulk licensing it is dirt cheap. In the end folks pay up one way or the other.

  24. This goes against US interests in the WTO by SlovakWakko · · Score: 1

    I'm looking forward to watching how the Russian government uses this US move as a pretext to squeeze foreign IT companies from the Russian market and provide Russian companies with a fantastic home base advantage - which they'll use for attacks on foreign markets. Why has the US spent almost 20 years negotiating with Russia about WTO accession when now it's handed excuse after excuse to impose import embargoes?

  25. Admin vs. User. by DrYak · · Score: 1

    You mean the separate ARM cpu (on each x86 machine) to administer any machines remotely is an improvement over Wakej-on-LAN?

    For an admin? Yes it's definitely an improvement.
    For an end-user? It's your worst nightmares slowly coming to life one after the other.

    Wake-On-LAN have that capability too.

    TL;DR: ME and IPMI enable an admin to remotely debug a machine that doesn't even want to turn on. It goes much beyond what WOL offers. It's more comparable to a network-enabled-KVM, and even goes a bit further (some kind of network-enabled-KVM that could even tap into the motherboard's DIP switches, back when those still existed).

    For Wake-on-LAN to be useful:

      - the machine must be able to actually boot.
    +- Which involves a few very low-level stuff. Like BIOS settings (hardware parameters) making the machine able to turn on stably (e.g.: correct RAM timings and CPU clock setting. A badly/unreliably overclocked machine might crash and catch fire right after receiving the WOL magic packet)
    +- like the BIOS set to boot on an actual boot device (harddisk), etc. (e.g.: UEFI set to load the signed shim that start grub. Not hanging with "no boot device deteted")

    - the OS must be able to actually boot.
    +- Which involves a few more higher level stuff, like an OS actually being installed
    +- Drivers, etc. able to bring the devices up and have the OS run stably (Windows is a bitch whenever the hardware changes a tiny bit).

    - you need some remote access to the OS
    +- Linux : SSH with your login keys.
    +- Windows : some VNC stuff ?

    - you need some specific software
    +- e.g.: to flash the BIOS.

    If anything along this chain breaks, you need to go in place and check the details of what doesn't work.

    With ME and IPMI :

    - the small embed MINIX / Linux running on the ARM core in the chipset is running some kind of VNC-like server that is able to directly tap into the shared RAM/VRAM of the GPU core inside the same chipset.

    This gives similar access as a network-enabled KVM : even if the machine doesn't boot, you can remotely see what's on the screen, and remotely take over with your keyboard and mouse to do the necessary admin step to get the OS bootable and functionnal.

    - this VNC variant supports some form of USB-forwarding. Meaning that you can simulate remotely plugged in floppies or DVD-ROMs using local images on your own admin console. You can use it to install Linux from an .ISO you have. You can use it to upgrade the firmware of a problematic SAS/SCSI PCIe card using an .IMG that you made of the floppy disk.

    All this, again, requires ZERO cooperation of the target machine. You don't need to have a working PXE network booting setup.
    Given that the VNC even works already during the BIOS settings screen, you can use it *TO* setup a working PXE net boot.

    - ME and IPMI even have direct access to the BIOS it self.
    Means you can change some low-level settings that currently prevent the machine from even booting. Means a PC with broken RAM timings settings that cannot reliably boot, you can correct those settings, all from the comfort of a web pages that you access from your admin console.
    Means that, while the machine is currently shut down, you could even flash a new BIOS / UEFI firmware.
    And if the flash breaks and the machine becomes unbootable, you can still use ME / IPMI to reflash a correct firmware.

    For an admin, that's a godsend : short from an actually literally burnt motherboard, there isn't a single situation that you cannot debug remotely with this, all this without even needing expensive equipment like network-enabled KVM (and a discreet EEPROM programmer for busted BIOSes).

    For an user, that's a horrendous nightmare. Even when your computer is shut down and merely just plugged into power and network, it could be hacked at a BIOS-level or even deeper level whenever an exploit in ME or IPMI is found.

    --
    "Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]