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It turns out that Lenovo has code in their BIOS which creates and maintains a backdoor executable in Windows 7 and Windows 8.x installs. Simply wiping the machine when you bring it home to remove the factory crap-ware is not enough to overcome this implementation. This issue is supposed to have been resolved via a recently released patch that doesn't remove but rather disables this 'feature' which is being called the Lenovo Service Engine.
Original Source for the news:
http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=29497693&sid=ddf3e32512932172454de515091db014#p29497693
Link to patch:
https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/product_security/lse_bios_notebook
This exploit takes advantage of a Windows feature called Windows Platform Binary Table. This is essentially a method created for the purpose of enabling UEFI bioses to load extra binaries at boot time.
link to paper on WPBT:
http://feishare.com/attachments/article/298/windows-platform-binary-table.pdf
(Score: 1, Troll) by TheGratefulNet on Thursday August 13 2015, @12:09AM
sloppy editing. no excuse, guys.
this is not about thinkpads, its about the consumer crap line of notebooks.
the business grade thinkpads do not have this issue (the lenovo page does not list a single thinkpad as being part of this issue).
lets try to be more accurate, ok?
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
(Score: 3, Informative) by Tork on Thursday August 13 2015, @12:12AM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 2) by TheGratefulNet on Thursday August 13 2015, @12:42AM
"It turns out that Lenovo has code in their BIOS which creates and maintains a backdoor executable in Windows 7 and Windows 8.x installs."
that is the fallacy of inclusion; it implies that all lenovos have this problem and that's just not true (at least lenovo's support site does not list a single thinkpad on this).
'lenovo' does not have code in their bios, the CONSUMER LAPTOPS BY LENOVO - and even then - its the models on the list - that is at fault.
it did not take much to learn that its not all lenovos. why can't the editors make headlines that are NOT click-bait? I do expect more from this site. slash, sure, they are a lost cause, but I would hope people would offer less sensationalistic HL's here.
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Thursday August 13 2015, @01:11AM
It's August, people are on vacation, and the editors did just put out a cal for help. Perhaps you could answer that call and do the deep dive on all the submissions you're expecting. Slashdot editors do get paid. It's the friends and family of the Soylent editors who pay because they're busy maintaining a site and submission queue instead of spending more time with them. You might consider paying them with help, or gratitude, or at least a little understanding.
Pointing out it was not all models of lenovo would have been sufficient and served the purposes of the discussion and community without knocking the editors.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 3, Informative) by quadrox on Thursday August 13 2015, @07:22AM
Seriously, you are overreacting.
Yeah it's not quite as accurate as it could be, but in the end the result is the same. It doesn't matter if lenovo only fucks over some of their customers or every last one of them - the fact that they are doing this at all is what's important.
Which particular models are affected is a footnote compared to the overall story.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 13 2015, @08:36AM
The fallacy is on your side. Nowhere, I repeat, NOWHERE does the text state, or even imply, that all Laptops are affected. That wrong conclusion is completely yours.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by cockroach on Thursday August 13 2015, @12:14AM
Thanks to the closedness of things we don't know that it's not all Lenovos, all we know is that some models are affected. I for one am rather glad that my Thinkpad runs coreboot these days.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 13 2015, @12:37AM
Guess what? There's very little difference between a Thinkpad and a generic Lenovo laptop these days.
Lenovo took the Thinkpad line, leveraged it to sell junk to people who heard "Lenovo makes good computers," and then proceeded to turn the Thinkpad line into absolute trash. Meanwhile, competitors (Dell Precision/Latitude and HP Elitebook) not only caught up, but surpassed the Thinkpad's quality and repairability.
The fact that they are now backpeddaling by bringing back trackpoint buttons and asking for user input in designing a "Retro Thinkpad" (hint: this would probably be a good article submission for someone) shows how bad the backlash has been. And when all is said and done, we STILL won't get a classic Thinkpad; the "Retro" that the designers have proposed is really an updated X301 from about five years ago, not a true return to the classic machines (4:3 displays and rollcage i.e. T60, A23p) that defined the brand.
TL;DR -- Thinkpads are cheap consumer junk now.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 13 2015, @08:41AM
Actually, such a submission would be a dupe. [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 13 2015, @01:35AM
To be properly unfair, Lenovo is the company that brought us Superfish, so perhaps a little sloppiness, exaggeration and maybe even outright abuse is warranted, or could at least be overlooked.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 13 2015, @06:14AM
And even if it's just one product by lenovo, it's still by lenovo... fucking bastards. I think they just joined sony on the ultimate never buy shit list.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 13 2015, @12:14PM
I didn't mention ThinkPads - you did. I don't think this story is about ThinkPads. Let's try to be more accurate, OK? (grin)
The summary doesn't say it is in every BIOS - however it is in some. Lenovo does have code in the BIOS that is the subject of the linked material. But you know that because you read TFA. so there is no confusion there.
Someone else suggested that you join us - believe me, you would be welcome and we could do with the support. I'm about to take 2 weeks break and I'm tired - my first break from the site in a long, long time. The remaining eds would love to have you help out. My apologies if this post is less than perfect.