Recently I came across Microsoft Pluton while searching for a new laptop. Initially I thought it was like TPM and wouldn’t affect Linux. But the more I researched, the worse it got. According to them
Microsoft Pluton is a chip-to-cloud security technology that provides hardware-based root of trust, secure identity, secure attestation, and cryptographic services
Does it connect to Cloud irrespective of the OS I ran? If yes this could be a privacy nightmare.
Why aren’t more people talking about this? It been here at-least since the last two generation of CPUs from AMD (from my research worst offender) and Intel.
Isn’t this a privacy violation lawsuit waiting to happen? In what ways does this Microsoft Pluton chip affect people who use Linux and should I not buy a new Laptop?
Also what about manufactures like Framework? Are they also forced to work with this chips?
From where I am, used laptops are not worth it.
Why aren’t more people talking about this? It been here at-least since the last two generation of CPUs from AMD (from my research worst offender) and Intel.
Likely because of this:
Microsoft Pluton is currently available on devices with AMD Ryzen® 6000, 7000, 8000, Ryzen AI and Qualcomm Snapdragon® 8cx Gen 3 and Snapdragon X series processors. Microsoft Pluton can be enabled on devices with Pluton capable processors running Windows 11, version 22H2 and later.
Emphasis mine. It’s an optional function, and this sounds like it’s targeted to businesses who either provide or have IT services. So like TPM, you can use it or not, and given the sharp rise in ransomware and other attacks, I can see why a business might want to use it.
How bad is it? I dunno. It seems to be so “noteworthy” that nobody is talking about it, and it sounds very optional.
‘optional’ just like the functions Intel ME provides?
I can’t personally say. Beyond my knowledge.
From their description it seems like just another tpm - like chip with extra functionality. That “cloud to chip” stuff seems to be marketing bs to me, possibly a tpm like chip that can only be used by Azure services? Doesn’t seem to me that it overrides the os in any way, so Linux would probably just ignore it withou the right drivers.
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