Re: [gentoo-user] Intel ucode updates for ME issues?

On 11/22/2017 12:42 AM, Adam Carter wrote:

> I notice that an update for sys-firmware/intel-microcode just come through
> on ~amd64, does that address the ME issues?
>
> http://www.zdnet.com/article/intel-weve-found-severe-bugs-in-secretive-management-engine-affecting-millions/
>
> Or will my NUC need a firmware update?
>
That would be "solved"[1] via a firmware update, microcode update is 
microcode - only for the cpu.
If you don't get one for your hardware due to the vendor saying it is 
"too old" (to scam you to buy a new motherboard for no reason) you can 
bisect the BIOS update and add it yourself (ask on the coreboot 
mailinglist how to do this for more info) not too difficult.

Using ME cleaner would also solve the issue and you wouldn't need any 
more firmware updates when the next "bug" comes around.


[1] Intel ME/AMD PSP will always be full of security "bugs" as they are 
designed to be an uber backdoor for god knows who - one can avoid this 
via getting either a slightly older x86-64 setup such as 
KCMA-D8/KGPE-D16 opteron motherboards (RYF libre firmware and a libre 
bmc firmware is available for them they also don't need microcode updats 
for series 2 CPU's), a g505S laptop (open source init firmware 
available) or a TALOS 2 server/workstation (POWER9, very very high 
performance high end server hardware with the usual price for that level 
of performance but you get libre firmware AND libre hardware RYF 
certification pending on release)