"Dustin" <bughunter.dustin@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9F58E660F562EHHI2948AJD832@no...
> "FromTheRafters" <erratic.howard@gmail.com> wrote in
> news:j3uamv$94a$1@dont-email.me:
>
>> "Dustin" <bughunter.dustin@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:Xns9F558CA9A208AHHI2948AJD832@no...
>>> "David W. Hodgins" <dwhodgins@nomail.afraid.org> wrote in
>>> newsp.v07k0xqda3w0dxdave@hodgins.homeip.net:
>>>
>>>> On Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:50:54 -0400, Dustin
>>>> <bughunter.dustin@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Oh, and switching to linux still ****s you, when the optionrom2
>>>>> calls home on your internet connection and finds out she's
>>>>> stolen. Which it will do, when it cannot drop the exe file. LOL.
>>>>> Whan happens next is a
>>>>
>>>> If it's using a windows executable, to phone home, that won't
>>>> work.
>>>
>>> You seem to be missing something important. It can use the windows
>>> executable, but in the event it cannot drop it in a specified
>>> amount of time, it halts the boot process.
>>>
>>>> Are you saying the option rom can establish an internet connection
>>>> before the operating system boots?
>>>
>>> I'm not only saying that, but, being as I've extracted a viable
>>> sample of the option rom and have since learned how to remove it, I
>>> *know* the company is lying about the products limitations and
>>> abilities.
>>
>> Have you been analyzing the OEM partnered persistence version or
>> just the software CD loadable version?
>
> One from CD loading, one from OEM. They don't have much difference in
> code, and both can be remotely updated.

Hmmm ... if it is all software and flashable firmware, then why is there
any need to partner with the manufacturer? Surely they don't need any
such partnership to make use of the 'guest room' on the BIOS chip.

I read a little on the Toshiba forums where there is expressed concern
over the ability of black hats to use this as their own personal rootkit
by changing the 'phone home' address. Computrace's reply was that
they have firmware installed by the manufacturer.

http://forums.toshiba.com/t5/Satelli...ity/td-p/45947

Why would they need the manufacturer to do something that they can
do from the software environment (i.e., flashing)?

I can't help thinking that there must be *something* that is untouchable
from the software environment.