Today at CES, Microsoft announced some of the most serious threats to modern computing in the past two decades, with all future CPUs from Ryzen (6000 series), Intel, and Qualcomm to feature ‘Microsoft Pluton’.
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It is a CPU inside your CPU, that is upgradable by Windows Update (yes, you read that right), and operated by Microsoft.
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It allows Microsoft and their software partners to ‘remotely attest’ that you are running ‘genuine’ and ‘trusted’ software. The idea is that code running on Microsoft’s cloud will be able to remotely take a complete snapshot of your system, and run any validation checks necessary on YOUR hardware and your data. Because it is a ‘CPU inside a CPU’, you will have no ability to monitor, block, or stop this intrusion.
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It is developed based on Xbox DRM, which prevents end-users from running their own unsigned software.
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It is able to access everything you do on your computer, including local files and local programs. This access is remote, and it is monitored through Windows Update.
I really can’t wait for RISC based hardware to start becoming available. We really need to have open hardware that runs Linux going forward.