[clug] [OT] New Interconnect from Intel+Apple: Thunderbolt

[Scott Ferguson]

On Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:16:38 +1100 Alex Satrapa wrote:

> 
> On 28/02/2011, at 10:53 , Scott Ferguson wrote:
> 
>> > Not wanting to dampen all that Mac enthusiasm but... you are aware of
>> > the security speculations (reminiscent of Firewire) aren't you? ;-P
>> > 
>> > In case you didn't see the references on SANs and other sites,
>> > http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/24/thunderbolt_mac_threat/
> The threat is due to the Thunderbolt & Intel architecture, not specific to Apple hardware or Mac OS X.

Noted hence my use of "speculations" - The Register, despite it's lack
of IT security credibility, did made that clear.

> 
> Labelling it as a "Mac" threat will lead to non-Apple users getting complacent and being caught by surprise when the projector they plug their computer into downloads the
contents of their hard drive due to the "Thunderbolt & Intel
architecture vulnerability".
> 
> FWIW Apple is spreading the word that they're keen on getting some good security eyes over their products: though I'm somewhat cynically expecting that they just want to rubber-stamp their upcoming Lion release as "most secure desktop OS" ;)
> 
> One of the more worrying issues here would be corrupt government agencies such as TSA ordering you to plug in a specific Thunderbolt device as part of their enhanced security protocols.  Cavity search meets laptop security :\
> 
> Alex

The TSA - the USA's equivalent of JobNetwork, keeping teh unemployable
off the streets. Somewhere I have snap of two of their finest displaying
their PowerBalance wristbands. You are talking about an agency that
bought and continues to use a Quatro detector... :-)

Cheers

P.S. sorry about the shortening of the original thread subject and
ruining your text formatting - my scraping script clearly needs an
overhaul :-(