Ubuntu Linux changes its plans for Windows 8 Secure Boot

Discussion in 'all things UNIX' started by Hungry Man, Sep 22, 2012.

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  1. Hungry Man

    Hungry Man Registered Member

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    https://www.pcworld.com/article/201...nges-its-plans-for-windows-8-secure-boot.html

     
  2. Good news!
     
  3. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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    But no mention on what the actual plan is other than scrapping plan A? I hope they take the Fedora route, seems like the least hassle.
     
  4. Hungry Man

    Hungry Man Registered Member

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    Me too. If they don't I'll probably switch to Fedora.
     
  5. NormanF

    NormanF Registered Member

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    Its a non-issue. Computers with UEFI firmware can be made to shut off secure boot in the BIOS and previous versions of Linux can run just fine on the new computers. Its not mandatory to even run Windows 8 with secure boot! The only hardware Microsoft wants to run on secure boot at all times is ARM. But I suspect ARM compatible versions of Linux will be able to run under secure boot on those devices.
     
  6. Hungry Man

    Hungry Man Registered Member

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    It's not really a non-issue. Asking users to either:
    a) disable a security feature
    or
    b) go into their BIOS settings

    before they install a Linux distro is going to turn them off to the process. I think the biggest issue with people not adopting Linux is that they'd have to install and set it up. Adding to that process, even one step, is an issue.

    But we'll get a nice security feature out of it and that's fun.
     
  7. NormanF

    NormanF Registered Member

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    Linux is inherently secure by design. Windows isn't so Microsoft has asked OEMs to correct a problem Linux never had in the first place.

    But then again its being made to pay for Microsoft's sins and that's no fun at all!
     
  8. I wouldn't call Linux "secure by design." Securable by design, certainly, but not necessarily secure. Boot sector rootkits are quite possible on Linux.

    I'd say it's more like Microsoft sees an opportunity to kill three birds with one stone - securing their dominance in the desktop market, cutting out a niche in the mobile market, and closing a security hole.

    BTW, I used to think that Secure Boot would be a disaster for Linux... But now I think it might actually be a good thing. If it raises the bar for creating your own distro, it might put a damper on the community's fragmentation.

    (Yeah, and maybe pigs will fly some day. But one can hope. :p )
     
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