Secret 3G Intel Chip provides Backdoors

As I read the documentation, those features don't require power, but just the presence of a power supply. Presumably, there's enough power stored in capacitors or integrated batteries. In any case, none of that is good, from a privacy perspective

That may be "factory default", but I don't typically buy from factories

Yes, I want software for configuring all of these features (3G chip, vPro, etc) in order to 1) find out what's set by default, and 2) find out what can be turned off or disabled. I'm somewhat concerned that at least some of the configurations might be locked. Otherwise, thieves could simply use such software to "own" the machines.

If you have links for relevant software, please share

 

By default its turned off, sorry if that confused anyone. Unless you let someone build and configure your computer and OS it should be a non-issue. Their middleware is on their site located at https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=20921

 

Thanks. I see:

I've looked at Intel(R)_SCS_8_Deployment_Guide.pdf. It's rather intimidating

Also, there's no mention of the 3G wireless chip. Is there a separate configuration utility for that?

 

lotuseclat79
Thanyou. My knowledge of CPUs is basic level only, but even I can see the writing on the wall in that it makes sense that every avenue possible will be exploited so that big brother keeps every tab on you possible. Of course the next "great feature" is always sugar coated and talked up as something VERY helpful and therefore legitimate. Too bad about the further erosion of privacy. It's always passed off then, as the "good out weighs the bad". It was only recently I mentioned somewhere on this board about backdoors in hardware, so this all is of NO surprise.

Im confused about this: What about a computer (desktop) that has no wireless connectivity and is disconnected from the net, or are these chips of a variety that are installed in desktops. I know Laptops and desktops have their own variants but thats about it.

noone_particular

Thankyou for your most interesting post. Sometimes it can't be helped about powering down, but this is a question Ive thought about often. To switch off or not. In my area I experience quite a number of electrical storms and also "dirty power". As such, I run my PC and G4 Dually on an UPS. Even though I try to be vigilant with these power issues I've still gotten caught out. Over the years Ive manage to fry three external dialup modems, and possibly one BB. Right now Im on here on dialup because of yet another outage All in all we've had directs hits here so I just pull everything out of the wall including the UPS.

Hardware can be stranger than fiction. Heres a strange one. My thermaltake PSU right from the day dot made a sound akin to a foodmixer on bootup under 10Degr C. When I clicked that it actually wasnt normal it was too late to do something about it. (Warranty) I posted about it on a board and someone told me it was on the way out. That was about 8 years ago and it's still going strong.

Anyway my PC and G4 are over 10yrs old and still running as good as gold but a bit slow in some situations. Ive been looking to upgrade both but now this has put a damper on things...as if Apples latest upcoming "ican" offering is enough to give you nightmares, then this. UGH.

Same here. Bottom line.. Why would you want something YOU own, to be remotely controlled by someone else without your prior consent, or worse, and not unlikely, without your knowledge?

 

This is just it, don't you guys feel that perhaps all these technologies while facts, and many other evidence about backdoor nsa systems etc etc its just getting all out of hand ?

I feel one has to simply use the tech as best we can and just apply as much security and privacy as we can humanly do, that or stay offline which is not an option !

Otherwise we are all destined to be using a AMD K6-2 450mhz cpu with Windows 98.... and not the second edition

 

The short answer to this is to use a 3G blocker/jammer.

 

Extra "secret" 3G chip, vPro mayhem, sky-is-falling-source.
Meh.
Anyone bothered to find out if this 3G chip also perhaps requires a 3G subscription on the user's side or does it make use of any 3G network available, completely autonomous, regardless of any subscription model?
And Intel has never been quiet about it's vPro line of procs nor their capabilities. I really don't see any reason for all the ruckus here.
Let's not go overboard over a source like in the FP.

P.S. And forget about tin foil hats. Check the foil for nano-holes; --http://www.joyoftech.com/joyoftech/joyarchives/1898.html--

 

It'd be very helpful if someone posted links with more documentation about the 3G feature, logistics for account creation, configuration utilities, and so on.

Given what we've learned about the NSA in recent months, it is unfortunately very plausible that this represents a backdoor. How is this a bigger stretch, for example, than deliberately crippling the pseudo random number generator in RSA Security products?

 

I see two defects there: 1) power-line signals; and 2) angry neighbors

 

You'd need really, really short-wavelength radiation to pass through nano-holes. Under those circumstances, acute radiation sickness would be your major risk

 

Even if every allegation made here is true, the situation isn't quite that desperate. Nothing I've see here points to the Pentium 4s having these problems (or features, depending on your point of view). If you're not gaming, editing video, or running a massively bloated OS, they're quite fast.

 

Intel responds to always-on 3G processor conspiracy

http://news.techeye.net/chips/intel-responds-to-always-on-3g-processor-conspiracy

 

That's what they all say.

That's an empty claim. Saying that's "wrong on many levels" is useless. What we need is a clear explanation.

So what?

 

When the Poison Pill backdoor stuff first went around in 2011, the conclusion was that the 3g part wasn't able to work unless it had 3g hardware.

This is the original article which Infowars and Softpedia source.
http://www.popularresistance.org/new-intel-based-pcs-permanently-hackable/

How does a mere journalist discover, "...a second physical processor embedded within the main one." according to Softpedia? It's not like you can break out a magnifying glass and some pliers to look inside. If it's so secret, how did Stone learn of it? No evidence or further explanation either.

EncryptedBytes, you've deployed vPro systems so how are you using them? Do you need a 3g extension by PCIe, USB or otherwise? I can't imagine that the computer's main CPU itself is housing everything needed to transmit and receive 3g signals under any operating system, on any network anywhere in the world. A full chipset, ..well, at least it would have more space to do so. I'm skeptical but admittedly not well read on cellular broadcasting.

As for the encryption keys, the vPro promo vid sounds like it only grabs keys for hardware encryption, so perhaps software encryption is 'safe'.
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/enterprise-security/what-is-vpro-technology-video.html

 

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us.../3rd-gen-core-vpro-data-protection-paper.html

No matter how intel(ligence)(c)(R)(TM) tries to spin this :
That is a backdoor, period .

Right, because intel(ligence) (c)(R)(TM) doesn't want government orders
from The US or Israel ..
http://www.forbes.com/2007/02/07/israel-military-unit-ventures-biz-cx_gk_0208israel.html

 

This forum gets better everyday. Wow... Clearly a 2007 article about Israeli intelligence has a lot to do with Intel the technology company.

 

Yes, it does .
You may want to research a bit on how intel(ligence) and all the other transnational corporations operate and where they hire the talent .
Remember those 'unbreakable' FIPS-certified encrypted flash-drives Sandisk made ?

Yes, it's from 2007, so what ? You think things have magically gotten better since ??

 

Running ACUWizard.exe right now...will report back.

PD

 

Looks like my 1155 i3 doesn't have it...I think. It's the 35watt 2120T purchased from NewEgg in Feb 2012.

PD

 

How would the traffic get past a home router?

Any more info you can find on the 3G aspect, would be much appreciated.

PD

 

Maybe you didn't know this:

<-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Bridge->

<-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy_Bridge_%28microarchitecture%29->

<-http://mondoweiss.net/2013/06/machines-qaddafi-washington.html->

You know who Narus is, right? Remember Room 641A?

And Stuxnet, does that suggest anything?

 

Right, so because it's developed in Israel, that means it's linked to Israel's intelligence agency, I see.

I suppose everything developed in the USA is also linked to the NSA, right?

Stuxnet? You mean that thing that took advantage of a Windows exploit and had nothing to do with Intel hardware whatsoever?

 

From what I've read, virtually everyone doing high-tech development in Israel is linked through service in its military intelligence. For example, see <-http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/12/israel-military-intelligence-unit-tech-boom->:

Everything involving computer security etc arguably is.

No, I mean that thing that the US and Israel developed together, just like the Intel CPUs that they developed together, just like the Narus Internet taps that the NSA uses, just like the raw intercepts that the NSA shares with Israeli military intelligence, etc.

 

Correct, the laptops came with 3g capabilities due to integrated 3g cards that we placed on the the units at the time of purchase. The laptops have the capability to receive a “poison pill” sms command due to this. Without the 3g capabilities, the only way to do the kill command is over wired/wireless or another OOB network. Again this is with the vpro chip series only, and only with their AT suite, and all the middleware configured. By default vpro is disabled and I’d wager 99.99% (repeating of course) forum members here are not affected by these chipsets. There are manya videos on youtube that highlight and show this process and could provide better insight.

However there is no chip inside a chip that remote dials your carrier and dumps all your information to it...

 

@EncryptedBytes

Thanks.

I'm becoming more confident that these are just enterprise features, which require additional hardware, firmware and/or configuration to provide remote access, management and control.

Still, for the record, Intel (and AMD?) really ought to issue a press release that fully explains all of this.

I'm going to kick myself if it comes out in another Snowden leak that the NSA exploited these features.