Is your computer data in grave danger?

[Rockin Robbins]

MINIX — The most popular OS in the world, thanks to Intel

What if you absolutely had no way to protect yourself from snooping and malware except by turning your computer off? Remember the Sony Rootkit debacle, where Sony hid a mole in your operating system that turned off your ability to write to your optical drives forever? Sony suffered billions of dollars in penalties and loss of sales in that one. This is worse.

What operating system are you running? Windows? Mac? Linux? It doesn't matter a bit. Every one of them is under the complete control of a hidden operating system you have no access to if you are running any of all recent Intel chips!

If you have a modern Intel CPU (released in the last few years) with Intel’s Management Engine built in, you’ve got another complete operating system running that you might not have had any clue was in there: MINIX.

That’s right. MINIX. The Unix-like OS originally developed by Andrew Tanenbaum as an educational tool — to demonstrate operating system programming — is built into every new Intel CPU.

MINIX is running on “Ring -3” (that’s “negative 3”) on its own CPU. A CPU that you, the user/owner of the machine, have no access to. The lowest “Ring” you have any real access to is “Ring 0,” which is where the kernel of your OS (the one that you actually chose to use, such as Linux) resides. Most user applications take place in “Ring 3” (without the negative).

The first thing that jumps out at me here: This means MINIX (specifically a version of MINIX 3) is in all likelihood the most popular OS shipping today on modern Intel-based computers (desktops, laptops and servers). That, right there, is absolutely crazy.

The second thing to make my head explode: You have zero access to “Ring -3” / MINIX. But MINIX has total and complete access to the entirety of your computer. All of it. It knows all and sees all, which presents a huge security risk — especially if MINIX, on that super-secret Ring -3 CPU, is running many services and isn’t updated regularly with security patches.

Google is scared chipless. We should pay attention. If we must buy a CPU, we should buy AMD.

[ikalugin]

Implying that AMD does not have a virtualisation layer.

[Rockin Robbins]

I'm not implying anything. I'm supplying information. You?

[Skybird]

Holy ####. I always feared something like this turning real or already being real. A worst case scenario in my book. Worse it cannot get. And yes, me too doubts that those who are behind this have overlooked or forgotten that there is AMD beside Intel as well. Spread the word. I did, in three other forums that I visit.

[Buddahaid]

Baaa, baaaa, baaaa.....

I guess I'm just too busy doing things like using my PC learning two different CAD programs to fuss over my OS although I do hear you.

Autodesk Fusion 360 and ZBrush are consuming all my attention right now.

[STEED]

Too be honest this was predicted years ago and is only going to get worst, even if you binned your PC your info is still be tracked and sold. I'm afraid folks its game over unless there is a massive world wide backlash and i just can not see that.

[Delgard]

Yep, Skynet. Sneaky devils.

[ikalugin]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

I'm not implying anything. I'm supplying information. You?

If we must buy a CPU, we should buy AMD.

Modern CPUs have virtualisation layer (layers). Ie - CPUs run programs below the OS.

[Rockin Robbins]

I see CPU manufacturers being taken aback by the negative publicity this receives and eliminating such "features" from their coding. There's nothing about virtualization that requires phantom operating systems which you cannot diagnose, influence or even detect.

The Sony Rootkit farce in the 1990s was just like this, an injection of foreign code into Windows, undetectable, omnipotent, both malevolent and inviting other malware to join its party and share its invisibility cloak while they had total domination of the computer. When exposed by Mark Russonovich, Sony lost billions of dollars, both in fines, damages and business. (seems to be some kind of sentence construction error there...) To this day I will not buy a Sony product.

This is MUCH worse. Hopefully both AMD's and Intel's reactions will be very different from Sony's stonewalling, deception and denial.

[Cyborg322]

Just to be clear Minix is not part of the Intel CPU its more of a mini processor on the Motherboard but in anycase they do go hand in hand

What's the solution? Well, it's not "Switch to AMD chips". Once, AMD chips didn't have this kind of mystery code hidden inside it, but even the latest Ryzen processors are not totally open. They include the AMD platform security process and that's also a mysterious black box.

SourceZNet.com

[Skybird]

The solution?

Do not sotre data and do not run processes on your comouter device that you consider to be too sensible as if you would write them on an uncovered holiday photo postcard.

Do not just use and fall for any new tech automatic gadget, function, gimmick - just as if you were a damn robot yourself. Do not let technology gadgets do what withon reasonable time and work you could do yourself. That ius especially true for socalled smartmeter sin hpouseholds, smart houses, smart house securing, and credit cards and cashless payment. Boyot, reject, let them know how much you dislike it and that you leave them standing in the rain with these things.

Think hard on whether it really is smart that time and again you vote people into offices and parliaments that actively drive these things and impose them on people, whether they want it or not.

Or in brief: practice your right to say "No." Share the word, tell others. In symbols: use paper and pencil to fix your notes and dates, do not use some digital "assistant" or "smart" phone - smart phones are not smart at all. Hut all too easily they take away your smartness from you, while you hop around them like around a golden calf.

You only end up with a soother in your mouth, and golden handcuffs around your wrists and feet.