Re: Putting together a computer from old components

On Mon, 29 Nov 2021 20:23:46 +0000
Richard Kettlewell <[email protected]> wrote:
> Spiros Bousbouras <[email protected]> writes:
> > SH <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> what is it about the intel management engine that creeps you out?
> >
> > That there is a part of the processor running secret code which has
> > access to everything on the computer (memory , storage media ,
> > internet communications) and nothing in the software that you choose
> > to run on your computer can affect this.
> 
> You could say much the same about the CPU microcode or the platform
> firmware (e.g. UEFI, or BIOS if you can find something old enough).

Sorry , I forgot to reply to that part.

If you mean that CPU microcode potentially has access to the same things then
yes. But if you mean that it actually does then there's no reason to think
so. If for example I learned that , microcode of some CPU , which microcode
ostensibly exists to compute the sine fucntion , tries for access to the
network , I would be worried.

Regarding firmware , similar considerations apply but I only have a vague
idea what firmware duties are. But one central criterion is the same : do the
accesses follow from the nature of its functions or are they arbitrary ? If
it's the latter , I'd rather avoid the extra risk.