Are any motherboards safe and secure from WPBT abuse ?

[Para Dox]

I will soon be buying a new motherboard. I would like to know which motherboards do not abuse the WPBT (Windows Platform Binary Table) 'feature'.

The WPBT is a EUFI BIOS hook (effectively a Microsoft rootkit introduced in 2011) that manufacturers can use to install persistent software, even after a bare-metal re-install of the Windows O.S.

Are our favourite motherboard manufacturers leveraging WPBT with their bundled drivers and utilities ?

How do we know, before we purchase, if a motherboard EUFI has this 'feature' ?

Peoples PC's are the doorway into their life savings. The doors need to be locked. We know that Lenovo abused WPBT with Silverfish SSL security and Samsung by disabling Windows Update; see these links for more details .....


“Zombie Crapware: How the Windows Platform Binary Table Works”:
http://www.howtogeek.com/226308/the-windows-platform-binary-table-why-crapware-can-come-back-after-a-clean-install/

“Lenovo used a hidden Windows feature to ensure its software could not be deleted”
http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/08/12/lenovo-used-a-hidden-windows-feature-to-ensure-its-software-could-not-be-deleted/

“How Computer Manufacturers Are Paid to Make Your Laptop Worse”
http://www.howtogeek.com/163303/how-computer-manufacturers-are-paid-to-make-your-laptop-worse/

“Lenovo caught installing adware on new computers”
http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/02/19/lenovo-caught-installing-adware-new-computers/

“The Only Safe Place to Buy a Windows PC is the Microsoft Store”
http://www.howtogeek.com/210249/the-only-safe-place-to-buy-a-windows-pc-is-the-microsoft-store/

WPBT – How it works:
http://grandstreamdreams.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/so-thats-how-it-works-windows-platform.html

.... Para Dox

 

[kanewolf]

It is always possible. But, that manufacturer would be pretty much out-of-business when that came to light. It might take a while, but I believe it would come to light. Just like the holes in GM On Star. It took a while, but it was discovered. I don't think they would risk it. Buying a motherboard and OS as discrete items makes it as safe as possible.

 

[Someone Somewhere]

Don't run Windows.

 

[jsmithepa]

Holly crap, call 60 Minutes!

 

[Para Dox]

I passed this information onto the Australian consumer watchdog - Choice ( https://www.choice.com.au/ ) and the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation - https://www.eff.org/ ).

You might want to do the same with the consumer watchdogs in your respective countries.

I figure these guys have more power, influence, and connections to raise awareness of these issues and get something done about them than I do as a lone consumer.

..... Para Dox

 

[Someone Somewhere]

I'm pretty sure the EFF had something to do with the story breaking, and if not they already know about it.

Consumer watchdogs tend to be teethless on security issues.