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Computrace backdoor exposes millions of PCs

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Windows only? (Score: 1, Informative)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-05-26 13:37 (#9SBJ)

Back when I used to manage Windows laptops (mostly IBM/Lenovo), it seemed that:

(1) the Computrace thing was only capable of "hacking" your Windows install; wipe and install, say Ubuntu, and Computrace can't do anything.

(2) the BIOS usually offered three settings, forgive me that I'm fuzzy on the exact same wording, Inactive (meaning it hacks you and phones home but pretends it doesn't), Enabled (hacks you, phones home, if you've paid you can track it), Disabled (doesn't hack you, but doesn't un-hack you if you already are). The last two are permanent choices, once you pick either of those you can never undo it. Flashing the BIOS has no effect.

Anybody know if these are still true?

Re: Windows only? (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-05-26 13:45 (#9SBK)

Good question. How could we check it.. if we don't know how this module works?

Re: Windows only? (Score: 2, Informative)

by evilviper@pipedot.org on 2015-05-26 21:35 (#9TBT)

It's public info how this thing works. They're trying to sell it to IT departments, so lots of info is right on their site.

It is based on a Windows application, and needs a FAT or NTFS file system on the hard drive to infect it, so non-Windows users are pretty safe.

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Time Reason Points Voter
2015-05-26 22:27 Informative +1 hyper@pipedot.org

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