Shuttleworth Calls for Declarative Firmware
Ubuntu founder denounces insecurity in proprietary, close-source software blobs.
Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth has called for an end to the dominance of the ACPI power management and device configuration interface used for firmware configuration in many PCs. In a recent blog post, Shuttleworth points out that low-quality, closed source firmware as a major threat to system security.
"If you read the catalog of spy tools and digital weaponry provided to us by Edward Snowden, you'll see that firmware on your device is the NSA's best friend. Your biggest mistake might be to assume that the NSA is the only institution abusing this position of trust--in fact, it's reasonable to assume that all firmware is a cesspool of insecurity, courtesy of incompetence of the worst degree from manufacturers, and competence of the highest degree from a very wide range of such agencies."
Shuttleworth goes on to call the ACPI system a "trojan horse of monumental proportions," adding portentously, "I've been to Troy; there is not much left."
According to Shuttleworth, blobs of commercial, closed-source code in the firmware just opens the door for sophisticated intruders, whether they are government spies or conventional criminals. His solution:
Firmware should be open source, so the code can be checked and verified, and innovative new features should be submitted through an upstream, peer-reviewed process such as the Linux kernel development process.
Firmware should be declarative, meaning that it describes "hardware linkages and dependencies" and doesn't include executable code.
Mark Shuttleworth is artful enough to sense that the furor over the NSA spying scandal means the world might be especially receptive right now to a pitch about the benefits of free software. Beyond the public relations, however, is an interesting development for Shuttleworth's own beloved Ubuntu project. The Free Sofware Foundation still lists Ubuntu as a "nonfree GNU/Linux distribution," noting that "...the version of Linux, the kernel, included in Ubuntu contains firmware blobs."
Issue 272/2023
Buy this issue as a PDF
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
News
-
An All-Snap Version of Ubuntu is In The Works
Along with the standard deb version of the open-source operating system, Canonical will release an-all snap version.
-
Mageia 9 Beta 2 Ready for Testing
The latest beta of the popular Mageia distribution now includes the latest kernel and plenty of updated applications.
-
KDE Plasma 6 Looks to Bring Basic HDR Support
The KWin piece of KDE Plasma now has HDR support and color management geared for the 6.0 release.
-
Bodhi Linux 7.0 Beta Ready for Testing
The latest iteration of the Bohdi Linux distribution is now available for those who want to experience what's in store and for testing purposes.
-
Changes Coming to Ubuntu PPA Usage
The way you manage Personal Package Archives will be changing with the release of Ubuntu 23.10.
-
AlmaLinux 9.2 Now Available for Download
AlmaLinux has been released and provides a free alternative to upstream Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
-
An Immutable Version of Fedora Is Under Consideration
For anyone who's a fan of using immutable versions of Linux, the Fedora team is currently considering adding a new spin called Fedora Onyx.
-
New Release of Br OS Includes ChatGPT Integration
Br OS 23.04 is now available and is geared specifically toward web content creation.
-
Command-Line Only Peropesis 2.1 Available Now
The latest iteration of Peropesis has been released with plenty of updates and introduces new software development tools.
-
TUXEDO Computers Announces InfinityBook Pro 14
With the new generation of their popular InfinityBook Pro 14, TUXEDO upgrades its ultra-mobile, powerful business laptop with some impressive specs.