Librem 14 laptop adds Microphone Kill Switch Enhancements

[Spacesurfer]

Summary

Purism's upcoming Librem 14 laptop has a physical microphone/webcam kill switch. That kill switch will now also cut the microphone input from the headphone jack.

 

Quotes

Quote

Last week I announced that the Librem 14 would feature a special “kill switch” of sorts on the motherboard that would write-protect the BIOS and EC chips. I’m pleased to announce another enhancement that will be in the Librem 14: the microphone kill switch will also kill microphones connected through the headphone jack.

 

My thoughts

I don't trust makers of laptops from a security standpoint. On top of all the things Purism does to their laptops (use coreboot since 2016, free software only Linux based OS, boot tampering detection), they include physical kill switches that cut the power so you KNOW the webcam or WiFi off. Since this laptop will use a current Intel CPU, unlike their previous models, I am super excited about it! With Anthony having just unboxed that s76 laptop, thought this deserved some mention as well.

 

Sources

https://puri.sm/posts/librem-14-adds-microphone-kill-switch-enhancements/

[Ashleyyyy]

aka a laptop for paranoid people. 

[Guest]

It’s highly unlikely this would be useful if you aren’t Edward Snowden. 

[HarryNyquist]

2 hours ago, Ashley said:

aka a laptop for paranoid people. 

Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you

 

[Commodus]

There are physical webcam kill switches and covers on other laptops, but this is nice all the same. Mind you, Purism isn't exactly making a valiant stand for the industry given how tiny its customer base is.

 

I do think the fear of webcam spying is somewhat overblown. It's very rare and harder to pull off these days. I won't blame someone for covering or disabling their webcam, though, especially if they're in a sensitive workplace.

[Ashleyyyy]

21 minutes ago, HarryNyquist said:

Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you

if they hack my webcam they can see my ugly face and if they hack my mic they hear my shitty jokes when i'm talking to friends over skype, big deal. 

[Kisai]

26 minutes ago, Commodus said:

There are physical webcam kill switches and covers on other laptops, but this is nice all the same. Mind you, Purism isn't exactly making a valiant stand for the industry given how tiny its customer base is.

 

I do think the fear of webcam spying is somewhat overblown. It's very rare and harder to pull off these days. I won't blame someone for covering or disabling their webcam, though, especially if they're in a sensitive workplace.

 

I beg to differ. I think "what you get" with a webcam isn't terribly valuable, but webcams on both cell phones and laptops are routinely pointed directly at the user's face/chest/crotch. So it's more blackmail value than security.

 

The microphone however can leak passwords very easily since people have distinct types of typing styles, and people who enter passwords, particularly complicated ones, slow down and the result is you can isolate the sounds from previous keys typed to what the password is... if you're that good at listening, but an AI may at some point be able to do this.

 

Hence making sure there is a way to kill both the webcam picture and microphone audio is a good thing for people who are in secure environments, and in countries with secrecy laws where you would get in trouble for even having any recording device. Hard to get blamed for leaking things by accident if you can't accidentally do it.

 

With that said, if you're someone who is paranoid about cameras and audio leaking, a sticky note solves the the camera, and an old headphone cable cut above the jack inserted into the microphone jack solves the microphone problem, as auto-switching on both laptops and desktops will switch inputs to the connected device as long as the drivers had been setup to not use them simultaneously.

 

[Trik'Stari]

5 hours ago, Ashley said:

aka a laptop for educated people. 

Fixed that for you.

 

I have a network security degree that gives me enough knowledge to say, with accuracy, just how much I do not know.

 

You want a physical kill switch for these things.

[Nowak]

39 minutes ago, Trik'Stari said:

Fixed that for you.

 

I have a network security degree that gives me enough knowledge to say, with accuracy, just how much I do not know.

 

You want a physical kill switch for these things.

Same. Hardware kill switches are inherently more secure and private.

 

It's worth noting the Pinebook Pro also has hardware kill switches (through keyboard shortcuts), but that's ARM64 whereas this is x86-64. Although, if you value security too (you should) that's probably an advantage for the PBP.

[Trik'Stari]

16 minutes ago, Nowak said:

Same. Hardware kill switches are inherently more secure and private.

 

It's worth noting the Pinebook Pro also has hardware kill switches (through keyboard shortcuts), but that's ARM64 whereas this is x86-64. Although, if you value security too (you should) that's probably an advantage for the PBP.

Honestly, as much as I entirely loathe government intervention into business (or anything, for that matter), I do think hardware kill switches should be 100% mandatory for any device sold in the US that includes a microphone or camera, or both.

 

Call it a national security issue, if you must. It arguably is one. Why? Because law enforcement, members of government, etc.

 

The ONLY exception I can legitimately accept, is body cams on law enforcement officers, as those are specifically intended to record everything a law enforcement officer does when on duty.

[Nowak]

1 minute ago, Trik'Stari said:

Honestly, as much as I entirely loathe government intervention into business (or anything, for that matter), I do think hardware kill switches should be 100% mandatory for any device sold in the US that includes a microphone or camera, or both.

 

Call it a national security issue, if you must. It arguably is one.

Oh look, the socialist and libertarian agree on something! Too bad we can't get Congress to see eye to eye with us.

[Trik'Stari]

15 minutes ago, Nowak said:

Oh look, the socialist and libertarian agree on something! Too bad we can't get Congress to see eye to eye with us.

With what is going on in politics right now, I'm not sure who is what. I know damn well I am not a socialist, but apparently libertarians are no longer libertarians either so.... meh?

 

I know this. I do not trust government, and I do not trust major corporations. Neither have the best interest of the general public at heart, and that is a VERY dangerous situation.

 

Not because of the actions either one might take, but because of the reactionary force that could arise to face it.

 

What I can say is that we NEED a.... not a revolution, maybe a reawakening? I'm not sure what the correct term to use here is, but we need some kind of push for digital rights. Focusing primarily on free speech as well as anonymity for single individuals (NOT. ORGANIZATIONS OR GROUPS. Political or otherwise) on general social media platforms. Which I would define as Twitter or Facebook, which aren't really in the same category as say, this (LTT) forum, which is more...specialized? There is a clear intent of topic here, whereas Twitter and Facebook or even YouTube, are far more general.

 

I would also argue that punishments for violations should be applied not in financial terms, at least not directly. Instead of a fine, they should face a (Ban? Prohibition? Need a better term) on advertising, for a set amount of time based on the severity of the violation.

 

Imagine how news outlets would change their behavior when Twitter gets slapped with a "you cannot have ANY form of advertising for 6 months" order. Shareholders would shit themselves so hard that you could measure the seismic activity.

 

I hate government intervention, because it is always the worst solution to any problem, I know this from first hand experience, but sometimes it is the ONLY solution to a problem, regrettably. But when it does intervene against a group/organization, it should bite HARD, as a warning to the others.

[Nowak]

Just now, Trik'Stari said:

With what is going on in politics right now, I'm not sure who is what. I know damn well I am not a socialist, but apparently libertarians are no longer libertarians either so.... meh?

 

I know this. I do not trust government, and I do not trust major corporations. Neither have the best interest of the general public at heart, and that is a VERY dangerous situation.

 

Not because of the actions either one might take, but because of the reactionary force that could arise to face it.

 

What I can say is that we NEED a.... not a revolution, maybe a reawakening? I'm not sure what the correct term to use here is, but we need some kind of push for digital rights. Focusing primarily on free speech on general social media platforms. Which I would define as Twitter or Facebook, which aren't really in the same category as say, this (LTT) forum, which is more...specialized? There is a clear intent of topic here, whereas Twitter and Facebook or even YouTube, are far more general.

 

I would also argue that punishments for violations should be applied not in financial terms, at least not directly. Instead of a fine, they should face a (Ban? Prohibition? Need a better term) on advertising, for a set amount of time based on the severity of the violation.

 

Imagine how news outlets would change their behavior when Twitter gets slapped with a "you cannot have ANY form of advertising for 6 months" order.

 

I hate government intervention, because it is always the worst solution to any problem, I know this from first hand experience, but sometimes it is the ONLY solution to a problem, regrettably. But when it does intervene against a group/organization, it should bite HARD, as a warning to the others.

I was calling myself one, but I get what you're saying. Not sure if I agree with all of it, but yes, digital rights need to be a thing, in a way that benefits the people more than corporations, and must be upheld. Hardware kill switches like what Pine64 and Librem implement in their devices can be an important first step towards that goal.

 

I would go more into how I feel, but I'm not typing out an entire spiel about it on one hand. That's too much.

[Trik'Stari]

10 minutes ago, Nowak said:

I was calling myself one, but I get what you're saying. Not sure if I agree with all of it, but yes, digital rights need to be a thing, in a way that benefits the people more than corporations, and must be upheld. Hardware kill switches like what Pine64 and Librem implement in their devices can be an important first step towards that goal.

 

I would go more into how I feel, but I'm not typing out an entire spiel about it on one hand. That's too much.

Discussion for another day.

 

I'd prefer any legislation that elevates the individual above corporations and government. Both hold far too much power.

[Nowak]

2 minutes ago, Trik'Stari said:

Discussion for another day.

 

I'd prefer any legislation that elevates the individual above corporations and government. Both hold far too much power.

DM me if you wanna hear it in... 6 or so weeks. However long it takes for the metacarpal to heal.

[Trik'Stari]

5 minutes ago, Nowak said:

DM me if you wanna hear it in... 6 or so weeks. However long it takes for the metacarpal to heal.

OOF. Get well soon.

 

Do your physical therapy, then exercise after to strengthen. I spent like 3 months in a cast for the radius and ulna of my right arm to heal, and I failed to do the exercise. That arm has never really been the same. Which sucks because I am right handed.

[Nowak]

Just now, Trik'Stari said:

OOF. Get well soon.

 

Do your physical therapy, then exercise. I spent like 3 months in a cast for the radius and ulna of my right arm to heal, and I failed to do the exercise. That arm has never really been the same.

I mean a bone, but I digress.

[Trik'Stari]

Just now, Nowak said:

I mean a bone, but I digress.

Radius and Ulna are your forearm bones. I'm not sure how long a hand bone takes to heal but I can tell you that if you wear a cast for any amount of time, your associated muscles will be weak as hell, not to mention the weakness of the bone itself coming into play.

[Nowak]

Just now, Trik'Stari said:

Radius and Ulna are your forearm bones. I'm not sure how long a hand bone takes to heal but I can tell you that if you wear a cast for any amount of time, your associated muscles will be weak as hell, not to mention the weakness of the bone itself coming into play.

Ah, yeah. Takes about 6 - 8 weeks for a hand bone to heal. But we're getting sidetracked lol

[Ashleyyyy]

7 hours ago, Trik'Stari said:

Fixed that for you.

 

I have a network security degree that gives me enough knowledge to say, with accuracy, just how much I do not know.

 

You want a physical kill switch for these things.

ok 1 can you please not change my words? also because you have a degree i'm supposed to believe you? i have a degree in IT so you must believe everything i say. 

 

and what if i don't want the hassle of needing to flip a switch everytime? Windows now shows you an icon in the taskbar if an app is using your Mic, and my MacBook has a physical light that turns on if an app uses my webcam. are these solutions perfect? no. but i don't go around doing shady stuff online and i use a decent antivirus so the chances of them hacking me are very low. 

[mr moose]

7 minutes ago, Ashley said:

ok 1 can you please not change my words? also because you have a degree i'm supposed to believe you? i have a degree in IT so you must believe everything i say. 

 

and what if i don't want the hassle of needing to flip a switch everytime? Windows now shows you an icon in the taskbar if an app is using your Mic, and my MacBook has a physical light that turns on if an app uses my webcam. are these solutions perfect? no. but i don't go around doing shady stuff online and i use a decent antivirus so the chances of them hacking me are very low. 

 

Make a better mouse and they'll make a better mouse trap.  It doesn't matter how good your software solution is, a physical barrier will always be the best the solution.  And you don't have to be doing dodgy stuff online to get caught,  Watching porn  is not dodgy and unplugging the webcam is a much better option than going without.

[Doobeedoo]

Was thinking about both cam and mic kill-switch for laptops, how it could be a standard, this is nice. 

[Kisai]

7 hours ago, Ashley said:

ok 1 can you please not change my words? also because you have a degree i'm supposed to believe you? i have a degree in IT so you must believe everything i say. 

 

and what if i don't want the hassle of needing to flip a switch everytime? Windows now shows you an icon in the taskbar if an app is using your Mic, and my MacBook has a physical light that turns on if an app uses my webcam. are these solutions perfect? no. but i don't go around doing shady stuff online and i use a decent antivirus so the chances of them hacking me are very low. 

The icon's don't help because they can be hidden, or lied about. The physical light is only useful if the light is actually used, which typically can be turned off in software as well.

 

That's the problem. You don't want the PC to be recording without any indication why.

 

Like just enabling the "listen to this device" or selecting any input can have the microphone icon perpetually on.

 

"Host Process for Windows Services" is completely useless.

[Ashleyyyy]

4 hours ago, Kisai said:

The physical light is only useful if the light is actually used, which typically can be turned off in software as well.

not on Mac's. 

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211148#:~:text=The FaceTime HD camera built,when the camera is active.&text=The camera is engineered so,if your camera is on.

[Trik'Stari]

12 hours ago, Ashley said:

ok 1 can you please not change my words? also because you have a degree i'm supposed to believe you? i have a degree in IT so you must believe everything i say. 

 

and what if i don't want the hassle of needing to flip a switch everytime? Windows now shows you an icon in the taskbar if an app is using your Mic, and my MacBook has a physical light that turns on if an app uses my webcam. are these solutions perfect? no. but i don't go around doing shady stuff online and i use a decent antivirus so the chances of them hacking me are very low. 

Easy now, it wasn't meant as an insult. Just a joking way of responding.