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Date: Sat, 02 Mar 2002 04:03:14 +0100
From: eddantes@wanadoo.fr
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To: Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: SSSCA: We're in trouble now
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Neale Banks wrote:

[snip]

 > All too true.  However, given the quality of BIOS code we have seen
 > over the years, the thought of your average BIOS programmer
 > implementing cryptographic techniques does provide some amusement
 > ;-)


PnP crypto? I'd love to see it. :)
That could actually be used somehow as some sort of pseudo-random 
generator, given the legendary oh-so-predictable behaviour of most 
BIOSes, even in normal circumstances... :D


 > Any chance of any manafacturers open-sourcing their BIOS?


Uhmm... Odds: 1 in <buffer overflow>
Considering that they seem to see BIOSes as the easiest way to hide 
hardware design mistakes, they probably wont.

OTOH, why not sticking Linux straight into BIOS flash chips?
Have a look here (sorry if you already knew):
http://www.linuxbios.org/
http://freebios.sourceforge.net/

Or just implement an OpenFirmware BIOS (that's cool! :)?
http://www.freiburg.linux.de/openbios/


 > Regards, Neale.


All hope is not lost! ;)

Have fun.
/Dantes

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