[LINK] Backdoor found in Chinese made chip

[Richard Chirgwin]

+1 to what Rachel said.

It's become completely hysterical, with Teh Gruniad giving us the 
"aeroplanes will drop from the skies" hint in this article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/may/29/cyber-attack-concerns-boeing-chip?CMP=twt_fd

1. You can't "attack" an FPGA over the Internet.
2. You can't reprogam the device over the Internet (FPGA programmers are 
specialised bits of hardware).
3. A Dreamliner's flight control systems don't have an Internet 
connection anyhow.
4. The backdoor was probably designed-in by Actel during product 
development, and not switched off. Almost certainly not inserted by Evil 
Hackers.

And so on ...

It's good research, but the "troll the whole Internet" promotional angle 
is tooth-grindingly awful.

RC

PS. A woman who programs FPGAs to emulate musical instruments? I'd offer 
marriage except that I'm already taken! :-)

On 29/05/12 7:58 PM, Rachel Polanskis wrote:
>
> On 29/05/2012, at 19:48, Alan Hargreaves<Alan.Hargreaves at Oracle.COM>  wrote:
>
>> And to counter the sensationalism with some sanity, here's Alec Muffett - http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/unscrewing-security/2012/05/chinese-cyberwarriors-in-your-chips/index.htm
>>
>> Regards,
>> Alan Hargreaves
>>
>> On 05/29/12 19:26, Fernando Cassia wrote:
>>> http://news.techeye.net/security/back-door-found-in-chinese-made-chip#utm_source=thetecheye&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=default
> So why was the fact the "chip" was in fact an FPGA not mentioned in the media?
> Apparently the "hole" is only uncovered by some custom software you can only get
> from the person who "found" it.  I love FPGA's BTW - very useful for emulating electronic
> musical instruments, as well as missile systems.  Hate the apellation "cyber", too unless
> it pertains to Dr Who....
>
>
> rachel
>
> --
> rachel polanskis
> <r.polanskis at uws.edu.au>
> <grove at zeta.org.au>
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