[Discuss] UEFI secure boot pre-loader security considered further Re: Fwd: [linux_forensics] Did you see this ? - Linux Foundation Announces Secure Boot Solution ....

[tmetro+blu at gmail.com (Tom Metro)]

Rich Pieri wrote:
> Jerry Feldman wrote: 
>> The bottom line here is that UEFI will prevent some Linux users from
>> installing Linux, especially in the near future.
> 
> No, it will not. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying or has
> bought into the anti-Microsoft propaganda. There is no truth to the
> claim that UEFI Secure Boot will lock users out of running the OS of
> their choice.

I haven't seen any recent articles that have made this claim. What I
have seen expressed is a concern that non-technical users that aren't
comfortable changing BIOS settings will find the requirement to turn off
secure boot too high of a barrier to trying out a Linux CD.

Whether that's true is another matter. I'm sure such users exist, but
how many people are adventurous enough to want to try a Linux CD, but
not knowledgeable enough to change BIOS settings? I guess with the
quantity of Ubuntu CDs handed out at user group meetings, and
subsequently being passed on to colleagues, there could be a bunch of
casual users curious to check it out.

The dual-boot issue Jerry mentioned I hadn't heard of before. I agree
that further confirmation is required before that is declared a problem.


> In the case of ARM hardware that ships with Windows 8, which is Windows
> Phone and Surface/RT, you can't run Linux on any of it anyway due to
> lack of hardware support. UEFI Secure Boot has nothing to do with that.

I don't understand what you mean by "lack of hardware support." Have you
seen the wide range of ARM-based devices that Linux has been ported to?
Do you really believe it would take more than a few weeks for some
motivated Linux hackers to port Linux to the Surface tables, if there
wasn't a BIOS barrier? (Chances are, they'll do it anyway. Should
probably do a search on YouTube to see if it has already happened.)

 -Tom

-- 
Tom Metro
Venture Logic, Newton, MA, USA
"Enterprise solutions through open source."
Professional Profile: http://tmetro.venturelogic.com/