Does the Pyra have something similar to IME (Intel Management Engine)?

[ElPoco]

Ooops, I had written from what I knew from mobile chipsets with Trustzones and other similar secure element, I expected IME to be something similar according to what other people wrote here, but it looks like it's not the case.

After reading up a bit about IME it does seem to be a very bad idea that's quite different from the concept of secure element.

 

[λ the β-Redex Reducer]

It looks like I was right to not want Intel ME:

 

[ZXDunny]

IME is a consequence of creating CPUs for the American market I'm afraid. It's almost certain that AMD also has backdoors for the NSA/CIA the same way that Intel does, but generally chip manufacturers are not allowed to disclose that they have inserted them. This would also highly likely include any ARM CPU manufacturers that market to the states, but there is no way to be certain unless the CPU design is open source (and you trust the manufacturer).

 

[pmprog]

To the RISC-V CPU implemented in an FPGA and synthesized at home it is then, Batman!

 

[ElPoco]

but there is no way to be certain unless the CPU design is open source (and you trust the manufacturer).

And each and every actor that will handle the CPU between the manufacturer and you.
And you need to do this for every other component of your device.

 

[daveshah]

There are plenty of places that dodgy code or functionality could be snuck into the OMAP5 if someone wanted to. Not least the boot ROM and the "secure monitor" that isn't really used in non-secure-boot OMAPs other than for L2 management, but is still something that exists.

Of course, the Linux kernel and userspace is a far bigger attack surface...

 

[λ the β-Redex Reducer]

Of course, the Linux kernel and userspace is a far bigger attack surface...

I stopped trusting Linux around the time that I first heard MS was a platinum member. That's like McDonald's sponsoring a health food store.

 

[fahrstuhl]

Of course, the Linux kernel and userspace is a far bigger attack surface...

A shame that Qubes-OS is still x86-only, that'd be a huge boost to security.

 

[Phlyra]

A shame that Qubes-OS is still x86-only, that'd be a huge boost to security.

Absolutely! But their future development should negate that limitation, hopefully