In geology a pluton is an intrusive block that disrupts existing things, sometimes catastrophically. This seems similar.

is this relevant to anyone not running Windows on their machines, or does this mean we need to ensure we have user/admin control over the TPM module before purchasing the machine/motherboard?

Come to that, what's the advantage to anyone who is running Windows? Is it yet another weapon for Microsoft in their conflict of interest with their users?

> what's the advantage to anyone who is running Windows?

Making sure you only run genuine, verified Microsoft-certified software - and nothing else . It's chilling.

I admit this can be an IT department's wish, but what does it spell for those who own their own computers, and, heaven forbid, want to use a non-Microsoft OS?

Or probably more DRM just to try and watch a damn movie!

"Making sure you only run genuine, verified Microsoft-certified software..."

My sister just bought herself an el-cheapo Asus laptop. When I got dragged in to set it up, I had to fight with something called Windows 'S' mode. Now not having used any MS stuff for over twenty years this was a bit of a shock. What was more of a shock was the error message spread across the screen complaining about an "un-verified" program and did I want to install it? Personally I wanted to un-install the whole bloody mess and put a decent OS on the damned thing but it wasn't my laptop so I was stuck and it took me a long time to get rid of 'S' mode so that I could get on and setup the laptop as requested. Time wasted and temper definitely frayed but I got there in the end.

Oh!

The 'unverfied' program I was warned about?

Something called"powershell.exe" No idea where that came from and I didn't install it as I had been warned off.

Thanks MS.

"Going beyond TPM, Microsoft suggested scenarios for the tech to provide greater visibility into the state of the platform with signals being reported back to Intune and Azure Attestation Service in the future." ... that needs clarification as to what it means for non-Windows users, or I won't be using it.

It is the prelude to not-your-computer computing. It is meant to prepare you to accept the overlords and pay them what they say they are owed (your money, thoughts, works and soul).

Indeed. From [1]Ars Technica :

"Microsoft already used Pluton to secure Xbox Ones and Azure Sphere microcontrollers against attacks that involve people with physical access opening device cases and performing hardware hacks that bypass security protections. Such hacks are usually carried out by device owners who want to run unauthorized games or programs for cheating."

[1] https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/01/pluton-microsofts-new-security-chip-will-finally-be-put-to-the-test/

> or I won't be using it

Well, you eventually will, when the old CPUs not having this feature start getting difficult to source. Don't forget it's not some isolated opt-in feature, it's the future of computing: Welcome to The Walled Garden...

Microsoft has also stated that the Pluton hardware will be updateable through Windows Update

So basically it is programmable. Another security hole opens up, thanks to Microsoft.

So Microsoft realised a few years ago that it was congenitally unable to write secure code and turned to a brute hardware fix instead.

Now it wants the hardware to be programmable.

This looks like history repeating as farce. Reminds me of when, having failed to interest the world in stuffing desktop Windows on to phones they then tried to make everyone use a phone OS on their desktops.

-A.

Your BIOS is updatable, that is programmable, therefore you've ALWAYS had this form of vulnerability. If a BIOS can be protected enough that you do not seem worried about it during your course of normal computing operations then Pluton will be the same.

Not that I'd want to have it based upon their current description, mind you. But worrying about its security whilst accepting BIOS updates seems unfounded.

Different degree of pwnage. BIOS images often can't be updated through Windows and require booting to a single-user OS, plus obscurity means (1) there are a lot of different BIOS types to figure out, and (2) it's hard to figure out which one is appropriate for any given intrusion.

This Pluton looks to make it a SPOF.

> ... therefore you've ALWAYS had this form of vulnerability ...

And now you're going to have a second version of it.

Otherwise an individual doesn't really own their HW anymore.

Isn't the alternative to give up control to "the central authority" ?

Not saying Pluton is solving a real problem or not, since there isn't enough technical info to evaluate it. But the minute they attach the tag "Consumer tech" or "Retail tech" there will be a religous war.

"Microsoft has also stated that the Pluton hardware will be updateable through Windows Update"

What could possibly go wrong! WU is not known to have broken anything ever...

The God of Money (& Hell).

World domination from Microsoft.

It's no longer "All your bases belong us"

More "Everything belong us''

Shouldn't we consider Intel's Management Engine on the same level? It's even running under Linux.

Yes

Yeah, Intel is using minix. However, Intel is not used universally. MS is used in the cloud and on most desktops. It is several trillion dollars big.

But the question remains: what happens with Linux.

> But the question remains: what happens with Linux.

I guess you'll be free to use the Windows Subsystem for Linux, as long as you have a genuine, verified Windows installation and don't mind the ads and the spying.

From what the article says, it appears to depend on whether the "OEM" whoever that might be for us white-boxers gets to decide whether to turn this thing on. If they come from AMD, Intel etc with TPM activated, WSL could end up our only choice for Linux...

...until the whole system gets hacked by some very clever sod.

Hacked in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...