Ask most people what happens when they boot their PC and they will respond with a range of answers from I don't know to The BIOS starts the boot process etc. Very few people realize that modern PCs have a hidden subsystem that lurks behind the main OS with full access to the computer even when it is in sleep mode. This system is called the Intel Management Engine. Given that it can access any part of the OS, memory or storage and has a range of capabilities which includes communication via ethernet the FSF has nominated the
Intel ME system should be ditched. Given that the owner of the hardware has no control over the ME and can't even see it, and that the ME is a viable attack vector for completely taking over a PC "It is a threat to freedom, security, and privacy that can't be ignored." The only question we have is: Can we get rid of it?