On Mon, 25 Jan 2021 07:40:39 -0800 (PST)
Mark Fernandes <mark.j.fernan...@gmail.com> wrote:
>On Wednesday, 6 January 2021 at 00:04:44 UTC anonymou...@danwin1210.me
>wrote:
>
>> I'm looking for a laptop that can run Qubes without stress. I want the
>> cheapest one possible.
>> Please let me know which one I should get.
>>
>
>
>It just so happens that I've been researching what are the cheapest
>computers to do fairly standard computer things...
>
>I would advise against using a used computer, unless you have strong
>reasons to believe it hasn't been compromised. A used computer can go
>through various owners, and any one of those owners could have been
>targeted to the extent that the computer was hacked, perhaps even to the
>point of hardware tampering. Additionally, the person selling or passing
>the computer on to you, may be involved in a racket where they are
>deliberately passing on hacked computers for bad purposes. Since you want
>to run Qubes, I'm guessing security is important to you, which is why I'm
>generally advising against using a used computer.
>
>If you want to go down the route of a used computer in spite of the above,
>you ought to think about faithfully reinstalling all of the firmware chips.
>You can't necessarily rely on firmware-updating mechanisms provided by the
>existing firmware, as such mechanisms may themselves be compromised. I'm
>going through the same process for my old Chromebook C720 laptop-like
>computer. I've settled on de-soldering the main system firmware chip
><https://doc.coreboot.org/flash_tutorial/ext_standalone.html> to replace it
>with one securely obtained in anonymous ways (to overcome targeted attacks)
><https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Talk:End-user_Computer_Security/Main_content/Broad_security_principles#Concerning_§⟪User_randomly_selecting_unit_from_off_physical_shelves⟫,_and_add_§⟪Anonymity_based⟫?>
>
>that I'll be reprogramming using a brand new, securely obtained, Raspberry
>Pi computer
><https://github.com/bibanon/Coreboot-ThinkPads/wiki/Hardware-Flashing-with-Raspberry-Pi>,
>
>in addition to completely replacing components that have
>potentially-compromised firmware chips
><https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Talk:End-user_Computer_Security/Main_content/Software_based#There_are_other_kinds_of_bootloaders_other_than_BIOSes_and_UEFIs,_as_well_as_similar_security_threats_based_in_other_kinds_of_firmware_(such_as_in_the_firmware_chips_of_graphics_cards)_so_perhaps_material_should_be_extended_and_generalised_to_cover....?>
>
>(such as the system disk). After taking such firmware-based security
>measures, you probably will mostly have to keep your 'fingers crossed',
>that the hardware hasn't been altered in other ways—such other kinds of
>alteration are probably unlikely though.
>
>On the other hand, if you are looking at a brand new computer, Raspberry Pi
>computers <https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-400/>,
>smartphones, and tablets are just about the cheapest brand new computers
>you can get where you are able to do general computing things. As for the
>laptop requirement, you could perhaps think about setting-up a "pseudo
>laptop experience" using such computing devices.
>
>
>Hope this helps,
>
>
>Kind regards,
>
>
>Mark Fernandes
>
>
>
>
>
I run on a "used" computer...but...
Bios completely overwritten with coreboot.
New hard drive.
New solid state hard drive.
Chose a model with no "blobs" of code needed in the BIOS. Levovo Thinkpad
T420i. The newest Lenovo model you can completely coreboot is an X1 carbon
Generation 1. From Generation 2 on you will need blobs of encrypted code in
the bios.
Stuart Perkins
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