Dell ships server motherboards with Trojan Horse.

[alfredo]

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2010/07/pc-giant-warns-of-hardware-tro.html


Computer maker Dell is warning, according to The Register, that some of its server motherboards have been delivered to customers carrying an unwanted extra: computer malware. It could be confirmation that the "hardware trojans" long posited by some security experts are indeed a real threat.

Unlike hard-drive-based computer viruses which can be disabled by antivirus software, a hardware trojan lives out of reach of such defences. It comprises some kind of alteration - by sabotage or accident - to the very heart of a computer: its microprocessors, memory chips or circuit boards.

News that Dell may have a hardware trojan problem emerged on a support forum after a user was warned by a Dell call centre that the firm's PowerEdge R410 server motherboard contains spyware of unspecified function that a Dell engineer needed to come and remove.


-------

Changing your grip, or adding a bumper won't help this.

[aquart]

1. Yikes.

It would be helpful, of course, to know what the nasty thing does.

[alfredo]

3. It's spyware. I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't an inside job.

[Occulus]

25. These were placed at the point of construction.

That points directly to China et al. Somewhat surprisingly, I doubt Dell had anything to do with this.

People on this thread need to calm down a bit. It's the Dell servers that are affected, and I'm guessing that nobody posting on this thread is using one of those at home. Your laptops and desktops aren't affected... yet.

If Dell doesn't put a stop to this that very well could end up being the case, but for the moment, the end user device isn't affected.

[onehandle]

2. Republican Dell? Say it ain't so. nt

[tinrobot]

7. The computers are made in China

I'd suspect the Chinese. They have the motive and the means.

[alfredo]

14. Industrial espionage. Steal your competitor's trade secrets through

Embedded spyware.

[tinrobot]

16. International espionage as well.

Spy on any Dell computer in any US government agency.

[alfredo]

18. I've been opposed to the use of windows machines in secure settings

I was pleased to hear the NSA was developing a secure Linux build, but then the free market types made it illegal for government to provide services or products that compete against the private sector. By then SELinux had made it into the wild and adopted by Redhat and YellowDog Linux. Others have used it too.

[FirstLight]

4. oh fuck

I *just* re-installed the new motherboard they shipped me after my ONE MONTH old dell crashed with the first faulty processor.

should I pull it out and see if it is that model? I've already lost so much of my data, i'm starting from scratch, having to pull my docs from my old emails (thank god for yahoo and their servers)

and I wonder if the backup disk i created will also 'backup' the malware?

on edit: wait, what, SPYWARE? i guess i'd better not be posting about my pro-legalization opinions? :scared:

[alfredo]

6. It's their server motherboard.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

8. I don't trust Repukes and Dell is a big one!

[FirstLight]

9. i don;t get it...

:shrug: not the same thing they screwed up and had to ship to people?

[blogslut]

12. A server is not a traditional home computer

It is designed for storing data, usually as a web host.

[FirstLight]

13. thanks

:dunce: i am technologically-challenged... :rofl:

[alfredo]

20. The new Mac Mini comes as a server too.

http://www.apple.com/macmini/server/

[blogslut]

23. Well, technically

Any computer can be a server. I was simply clarifying the general terminology.

I've got this wee device that I've been trying to hax0r into a hand-held computer. All the hip kids love playing with it because it has a Linux kernel. Here's one user that turned her's into a web server:

http://va3uxb.dynip.com/

[alfredo]

24. Sure can. I think I can do it with this Mini using UNIX tools.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

5. I wonder if Dell made this computer malware

and how long has it been active?

Also, makes me wonder if this is really JUST in the Servers?

[n2doc]

10. Dell doesn't make anything

They just subcontract out all the work.

[L0oniX]

11. information trojan "The farmer in the Dell" your info is being farmed out ...hi ho the merry o

[alfredo]

15. I hope none made it into government.

[PJPhreak]

17. This kinda crap is why I will never...

Keep truly important personal info on my Computer,Ever! my computer is for websurfing,making Fractails,checking my Email,and general farting around,nothing more.

I still pay my bills in person or by snail mail,always.

Call me Old Fashioned,But i will never have my Bank Acct.Cleaned out by someone in Nigeria,My Credit Cards used to buy someone in Russia a Yacht or anything like this.

Most of the World calls this "Convenience" to be able to manage ones life from a machine while sitting at home...I see this as a too easy way for a smart crook to clean yer clock!

[alfredo]

19. I have a special Cc with a very low credit limit for online use.

I have another for emergency use.

[PJPhreak]

22. Thats what I tell folk to do,

That is to seperate their online banking from their major Savings or checking Accts.Set up a seperate acct.with $300-$500 in it.that way if you are hit,thats all they get.If one must use a C.C online make sure that it for online use only with a low limit.

[HipChick]

26. or just get credit card that has $0 Fraud Liability policy

[alfredo]

28. It's all about limiting your exposure.

[InvisibleTouch]

21. I'm so glad I didn't buy a Dell laptop.

Several people tried to talk me into one, but I refused. Have heard nothing but bad things about Dell computers for years. Same with Gateway. I went with HP and have been totally happy.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[alfredo]

29. Never heard of that.

[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[alfredo]

31. You're bad.

[marmar]

32. Dude, I'm Getting Rid of this F**king Dell !!!

[alfredo]

33. Affected models.

PowerEdge R310,

PowerEdge R410,

PowerEdge R510,

PowerEdge T410

[Greyhound]

34. "hardware trojans long posited by some security experts are indeed a real threat."

And never forget who of making virtually 100% of the hardware and 98% of the sortware that we are utterly dependent upon.

Despite our spending ourselves into bankruptcy on our vaunted military, they can't make a single plane, missile, radar, or communications unit without using hardware built by very unfriendly nations.

Yeah we take security so seriously here...
:eyes:
:kick: & R

[alfredo]

36. I've waged a losing battle to inform people of the security issues Surrounding

Outsourcing.

[Greyhound]

38. Here to, since the mid-nineties. We were going to have jackets made, but Clinton & Co.

decided the best way to deal with all of us "naysayers" was to replace us with more malleable (and lower paid) replacement workers, so we don't have the budget.

It was pretty amusing when I was at the USCG arguing the same position to the administration that the military (two Admirals, no less) was putting forth. In the end, it was far less troublesome and cheaper to just ignore an get rid of us than to address this very real issue that will absolutely come back to bite us in the ass.

There used to be a law that all military hardware had to be made in this country to prevent just this kind of thing, IDR who got rid of it.

[alfredo]

39. I bet it was Reagan. He pretty much turned our manufacturing base over

To the Japanese. Of course as soon as he left office he got a $2,000,000 handshake from Japan.

[mike r]

35. It's a free bonus that comes with the exploding capacitor

[alfredo]

Glad one doesn't have to pay extra for that feature.

[alfredo]

37. Glad one doesn't have to pay extra for that feature.