Summary: More news about UEFI amidst action from Linux (kernel) developers

WE have spent a great deal of time covering restricted boot (UEFI) in this site. Here is some more new coverage of interest.

• Means of testing 'secure' boot on Linux developed

  A Linux kernel developer has put together the necessary bits and pieces for simulating the process of secure boot on a virtual machine, thus giving GNU/Linux distributions a way of understanding how the process takes place.





• Linux Developers Step Up to the Secure Boot Challenge

If ways can be found to avert and circumvent UEFI, that will be good. Despite weaknesses in the Linux-hostile "secure boot" mechanism, both Fedora and Ubuntu decided to facilitate it, by essentially adopting two different approaches. Richard Stallman has finally spoken out on this subject. He notes that "if the user doesn’t control the keys, then it’s a kind of shackle, and that would be true no matter what system it is.” He notes that "Microsoft demands that ARM computers sold for Windows 8 be set up so that the user cannot change the keys; in other words, turn it into restricted boot." Furthermore, he notes, "this is not a security feature. This is abuse of the users. I think it ought to be illegal."

This is a major subject for those who pursue software freedom and not just GNU/Linux world domination, which is not the same thing (Linux, for example, can 'succeed' with DRM, UEFI/restricted boot, Tivoisation, etc.). ⬆